What Are You Doing Here?: Investigating the Men of Essence Festival
EntertainmentEssence magazine is for black women and so is the Essence Music Festival, but the latter attracts both men and women. For years, I’ve wondered what dudes were doing at an event hosting speakers and performers like Iyanla Vanzant, Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kandi Burruss and Mary J. Blige.
This year, armed with my recorder and iPhone, I combed the streets of New Orleans to investigate this mystery, asking the many dudes of Essence Festival: What are you doing here, man?
Myron (pictured above, at right): I’m partaking in the beautiful females and, you know, the ambience of black culture.
Marcus (pictured above, at left): I came for the beautiful women. (Jezebel: Not even to see Kendrick Lamar, who’s performing tonight?) Nah.
Mike (at left): The women. I want to get chose! Since I’m from New Orleans, I just want to meet a nice visitor. We enjoy the music and stuff, but also… the women.
Edward (at right): It’s the festivities, there are a lot of black people coming together and there’s no marching or anything like that. We’re just having a good time.
Darren: I come for the music but a lot of other dudes come for the beautiful black women. Essence is full of beautiful black women. I came to see Kendrick Lamar but it’s easy to meet women here.