00:00Joining me now on the carpet, two of tonight's performers, Ms. Leanne La Havas and the one
00:09and only Ms. MC Light.
00:10How are you ladies doing tonight?
00:11We're fine, thank you.
00:12Well, I am.
00:13How are you?
00:14I'm great.
00:15I'm great.
00:17So we are celebrating 45 years of Essence and then we're also celebrating different
00:20genres and just empowerment of women in music.
00:23What does this evening mean to the both of you?
00:25I think you kind of said it all there for me, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:28I mean, first and foremost, I think it's all about the strength of character in the
00:33music and how these really wonderful ladies are delivering it and just about, yeah, empowerment
00:42and just, you know, just being yourself and then achieving whatever you want because of
00:46seeking happiness.
00:47That's what it means for me.
00:48That's what it means for you.
00:49And what does it mean for you?
00:50Oh, goodness.
00:51Well, it's a night to honor and show acknowledgment to those who have been really excellent at
01:00what it is that they do.
01:01And tonight we honor Jill Scott and, of course, you know, all the way from Philly, you know,
01:07East Coast.
01:09I just wanted to come in and show my respects to her as well as all of the other women that
01:14are on the bill.
01:15This is a night of celebration of womanhood and sisterhood and everything good with Essence.
01:22Yes.
01:23That was very well put.
01:24Thank you so much for that.
01:25I was like, I was like, oh, that's good.
01:26I'm going to have to recycle that for a little bit later on in the show.
01:29So are there any highlights or things that are going to happen this evening that you could
01:33possibly share with us?
01:34A little sneak peek for our audience.
01:35Oh, you know, no, no, it's all a surprise.
01:40You got to, they'll see it when Essence, when Essence.com makes it available, but we're
01:46going to have a great time.
01:47They're already partying in there.
01:48I can hear the music coming out of that spot.
01:51DJ Jermaine is on the turntables right now.
01:54Then I'll have my go and then the ladies are going to take stage.
01:58And they're going to take over in rec shop.
02:01So tonight on social media, we've been asking our fans on hashtag black women in music.
02:06Who do they feel have been some of the most influential women in music or some of the most
02:10pivotal and influential moments for women in music?
02:13Do you have any preference or any ideas?
02:16Well, one that comes to mind is India Irie.
02:19When she came on the scene of I Am Not My Hair, girl, that let everybody have a little
02:24bit of freedom.
02:25So that was one moment.
02:26What do you think?
02:27What about you?
02:28I probably would have said the same, actually.
02:31For me, that was like, she was the first CD single that I ever bought.
02:36Oh, wow.
02:37And it was video.
02:38And I was like, oh my God.
02:39She's so young.
02:40She's so young.
02:41Get out of here.
02:42Get out of here.
02:43I don't know.
02:44It was just, no one had ever said these things in music before.
02:47And I was like, whoa, that's so amazing.
02:50And it made it okay to be you, if that makes any sense.
02:53Exactly.
02:54Which is what this is all about.
02:55Yes, definitely.
02:56Thank you so much, ladies, for joining me.
02:57I will see you on inside.
02:59And I know that you are going to bring the house down.
03:01You'll see me front row tearing it up.
03:03All right.
03:04From with this!
03:05Get in there if you're at home.
03:06You'll see you come down in the middle with a往 of it.
03:07You know what to do?
03:09Where can it be?
03:10What do I do?
03:11Is this draining and everything into the middle?
03:12Everything must be easier the complex.
03:13And I know that I will move that up.
03:14All right.
03:15Look, here in my household, you'll watch me in a bit.
03:16There's lots of interest.
03:17Got there in the, there's lots of interest.
03:18And while moving into thekam Book, that comes in real life.
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