Who will perform when during the 2024 Essence Festival? See a rundown of each night (2024)

The 2024 Essence Festival of Culture takes over the Caesars Superdome from Friday through Sunday with a musical lineup that looks back while also looking ahead.

This 30th anniversary Essence roster features legendary names alongside up-and-comers, including multiple performers from New Orleans.

As of this writing, tickets were still available for each night via Ticketmaster, starting at $85 plus fees.

Here’s a rundown of each night in the Dome.

FRIDAY

Opening night’s closing act is New Orleans through-and-through: Bryan “Birdman” “Baby” Williams presents a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Cash Money Records, the powerhouse New Orleans rap label he and his brother Ronald “Slim” Williams co-founded in the 1990s.

Birdman released a handful of albums himself, but his primary role was to be Cash Money’s godfather, overseeing a roster of up-from-the-streets young rappers who minted gold and platinum records.

Which of those rappers will join Birdman onstage at Essence hasn’t been officially revealed. Terius “Juvenile” Gray, whose 1998 album “400 Degreez” is the biggest seller in the Cash Money catalog, is a lock. He performed at Essence in 2023 and is embarking on an extensive national tour later this summer.

Lil Wayne, the most bankable and acclaimed artist from the Cash Money catalog, is also likely to appear. He and Birdman were surprise guests during Nicki Minaj’s Essence show in 2022. Wayne returned in 2023 for his own unannounced 30-minute set.

If Turk and B.G. also turn up, a reunion of the Hot Boys, Cash Money’s early all-star group, is possible.

Preceding the Cash Money crew on Friday is contemporary R&B renaissance man Raphael Saadiq. He released four albums with Tony! Toni! Toné!, including 1990’s “The Revival” and its No. 1 singles “Whatever You Want” and “It Never Rains (In Southern California).”

Saadiq moved on to the all-star group Lucy Pearl. More recently, he has orchestrated his own solo albums and played bass, written and/or produced songs for the likes of Whitney Houston, Solange Knowles, John Legend, Mary J. Blige and D’Angelo.

Also on Friday, the Roots, the Philly hip-hop crew that functions as the house band for “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” returns to Essence. The Roots will back country singer Mickey Guyton, R&B singer Ari Lennox and pioneering Auto-Tune rapper T-Pain.

Rapper Busta Rhymes is slated to perform early Friday, as is Jacquees, the Georgia R&B singer who signed to Cash Money Records.

Friday’s hosts are Pretty Vee and Punkie Johnson, the McDonogh 35 High School and Nicholls State University graduate who has been a “Saturday Night Live” cast member since 2020.

SATURDAY

Raymond Usher IV made his Essence debut in 1998 at age 19 and has returned to the festival, and New Orleans, multiple times. His headlining set at the Dome on Saturday will celebrate the 20th anniversary of his landmark “Confessions.”

Thanks to the No. 1 singles "Yeah!," "Burn" and "Confessions Part II," "Confessions" became one of 2004's biggest-selling albums. He’s slated to perform the entire album on Saturday.

Preceding Usher is “Uncle” Charlie Wilson. After first achieving fame as the Gap Band’s lead vocalist, Wilson built a second career as one of the most successful and respected practitioners of R&B for grown-ups. He’s a 10-time Essence veteran.

Also on Saturday, DJ D-Nice will preside over a revue-style showcase of multiple artists dubbed Club Quarantine Live. Scheduled guests include Big Boi, Lloyd, Method Man, Sheila E, Donnell Jones, Machel Montano and Tweet.

Early arriving fans will hear TGT featuring Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese and an opening set from Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr.

Kenny Burns is set to host on Saturday, joined by DJ Clark Kent.

SUNDAY

As a global superstar, Janet Jackson gets top billing on the list of Sunday’s performers. But the closing act on Sunday is the tribute to Frankie Beverly & Maze and other early Essence legends. Maze and other artists will perform. How much Beverly himself will sing during the tribute is uncertain.

In keeping with Essence tradition, closing-night attendees are asked to wear all-white to match Beverly’s stage attire.

When Jackson takes the stage prior to the Beverly tribute, it will be for her fourth Essence show. She previously performed in 2010, 2018 and 2022. Her 2022 show sold out all 48,500 seats and was reportedly the highest-grossing night in the 30-year history of Essence.

In a neat twist, up-and-coming R&B singer Victoria Monét, who counts Jackson as one of her major influences and idols, has the honor of performing right before her.

SWV, the vocal trio whose name is an abbreviation for Sisters With Voices, is on just beforeMonét.

Sunday’s opening act is Grammy-nominated New Orleans R&B/hip-hop/spoken word band Tank & the Bangas, augmented by fellow New Orleanians Teedra Moses, HaSizzle and Dawn Richard.

Sunday’s hosts are Keke Palmer, Big Tigger and DJ Beverly Bond.