00:00Get your tickets now at EssenceFestival.com.
01:00Get your tickets now at EssenceFestival.com.
01:30And there's even more.
01:32You gotta see it to believe it.
01:34Start mapping out your weekend now.
01:36It's all going down June 30th to July 3rd at the Essence Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola.
01:43More information at EssenceFestival.com.
01:46My brands are both new voices portfolio companies.
02:06They invested in the Lit Bar very early on and have provided a ton of mentorship in addition to capital that allowed me to grow my businesses and target stores across the country.
02:17I would absolutely recommend the New Voices family to any founder seeking investment, seeking partnership, seeking advice, seeking mentorship.
02:38I can't say enough how helpful it is to feel like you have a partner when you're on the startup journey.
02:45One of the greatest things we can do in our lives is to have a mentor and a coach.
03:00We use it.
03:01Every person that has made it to a certain level.
03:03There's always been somebody along their journey to say, hey, they helped me out.
03:07I know for a fact that New Voices have to come back for me.
03:10Meet Essay, a community finance platform.
03:26Borrow money when you need it, on your terms, and lend it when you have it, and make a return.
03:33We're people helping people.
03:35Join us.
03:35After two years, Essence Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola, is back on the ground in New Orleans, June 30th to July 3rd.
03:45It's the black joy for us.
03:47The 2022 Essence Fest is everybody's welcome home.
03:52See all stars, including Kevin Hart, Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson, New Edition, and more on stage every night.
04:00Plus, fill your days with community, culture, and connection at over 30 unique events over the weekend.
04:07Revisit your faves, like Essence Marketplace, Essence After Dark, and Beauty Carnival.
04:12Or make new memories at debut experiences like Essence in His Zone, Men's Experience, the Black Boy Joy headquarters.
04:20With fun, interactive activities, as well as experiences around entrepreneurship, business, self-care, and relationships.
04:27All fit for a king.
04:30Essence Tech Summit.
04:31Step into the future and explore a world of cutting-edge technology.
04:36Celebrate black women in tech, as well as learn from industry leaders on all things cryptocurrency, NFTs, and more.
04:44Essence Eats Food and Wine Festival.
04:46The ultimate foodie destination is bigger and better this year.
04:50Featuring the all-new immersive Food and Wine Festival.
04:53Enjoy recipes and tastings from world-class chefs and mixologists, and so much more.
04:59This is your official taste of Essence.
05:02For the full list of experiences, and to get your tickets, go to EssenceFestival.com.
05:07Whether this is your first festival or your 20th, this year's EssenceFest will be like no other.
05:24Here's what you need to know before you go.
05:26Every night is a party in the Superdome, but don't skip the day vibes.
05:31Meet us around the EssenceFest campus for a wealth of free events curated just for you.
05:36Land among the stars at Essence Studios Center Stage, where you can hear from your favorite celebrities and even meet them in the fan zone.
05:46Make sure you stop by the all-new Essence Film Festival, where you'll not only get a sneak peek of the most anticipated Hollywood projects,
05:53you'll also be introduced to the work of up-and-coming black creatives.
05:58Take a load off and recharge at Essence Wellness House, your weekend self-care sanctuary.
06:03Put yourself first with tips and tools from health experts to help you wherever you are on your wellness journey.
06:11Join us at the Essence Wealth Empower Stage, where you'll hear empowering conversations from today's top thought leaders and activists.
06:19This experience will also feature global black economic forum moments,
06:23where business moguls and inspiring entrepreneurs will illuminate the path
06:27on how to build economic equity and generational wealth within our communities globally.
06:33You know it wouldn't be New Orleans without some good food.
06:37Taste and sip your way through the all-new Essence Eats Food and Wine Festival,
06:42your daytime culinary destination with top chefs.
06:45And this year, we got your late-night cravings covered.
06:49Stop by Essence Eats, the let-out edition.
06:51This food truck block party will keep you fueled as you head to all that Essence Fest late-night has to offer.
06:58Get your power suit ready.
06:59Essence Eats Suite is back.
07:01From panel conversations featuring leading black women in business to recruitment,
07:06it's the number one destination for your career advancement.
07:10Essence After Dark returns.
07:12Join us for late-night comedy shows featuring Fat Tuesday and special music curations,
07:18featuring Afro beats and classic R&B curations.
07:20And there's even more.
07:23You gotta see it to believe it.
07:25Start mapping out your weekend now.
07:27It's all going down June 30th to July 3rd at the Essence Festival of Culture,
07:32presented by Coca-Cola.
07:34More information at EssenceFestival.com.
07:37This is Janet Jessen, everyone.
07:38And this is you, Simon.
07:40Welcome to my Essence cover shoot.
07:50Thank you so much.
08:12Thank you, everyone.
08:15As males get older, we become more distinguished, for lack of a better word.
08:28And for females, it's more like, y'all get names like Cougar and Auntie and things of that nature.
08:33They count y'all out way too early, man.
08:35Because if Angela Bassett is a testament to what an older woman, more mature woman can be, man,
08:42then I want to go that route.
08:46What's good, y'all?
08:47This is Method Man right here.
08:49And this is my Essence uncovered.
08:51My Essence stays covered, though.
08:53But this is my Essence uncovered.
08:55Yeah, I'll be good.
08:56Having an Essence cover mean to me?
09:02When I get one, I'll let your ass know.
09:04This is the digital cover.
09:05The physical copy magazine that I grew up on?
09:09That would mean the world.
09:09This is great.
09:11I love the fact that you guys even thought of me for this, and I am truly honored.
09:15I've won a Grammy, and I recently got my first acting award.
09:18And that was from the NAACP, Image Award.
09:22But I covered that award more than the Grammy any day, because that came from my audience,
09:28my people, and they love me.
09:30And I'll take that over anything.
09:32So for Essence, after all these years of me being in the business, to be here right now
09:38speaks volumes, volumes to my journey, as well as, you know, the classiness of this magazine.
09:47It just got a little bit more classy.
09:50Yes.
09:52You can't do both.
10:00I tried it, and it didn't work out for me.
10:02That's why I took a long hiatus from acting, or acting took a long hiatus from my ass.
10:07Let's put it that way.
10:08There were shows being missed, of course, studio, albums not being made, because I was
10:13way more into my acting than music.
10:16I haven't met one person that's acting and singing, and they're doing both, and it's
10:22working for them, with the exception of J.Lo, because J.Lo does every thing.
10:25She's the best at it.
10:27Don't at me.
10:28I was in a group that meant a lot to its audience.
10:33We never compromised ourselves, and they respected that, so why not, 25, 26 years from there,
10:40still have a career, because, you know, you can't pay the buck.
10:44I mean, I've always been myself, so, and nothing's changed, so the audience should still be there,
10:49and we're blessed to still have the audience there.
10:51That's all I can say.
10:54How important has physical fitness been to my overall well-being?
10:57When I started, big, depressed, insomnia, a bunch of things going on.
11:02For me, it was, if I'm going to get my mind right, my body might as well be right.
11:06Why, you know, exercise the mind and not exercise the body?
11:09It doesn't make sense.
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