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00:00Welcome back to Essence Fest. How y'all feeling?
00:07Now, if you're just arriving and tuning in to the Essence stage, I am your sister, Jessie Woo,
00:14your hostess for the day, and I am joined by the lovely DJ Red Corvette to my right.
00:20And together, we're bringing you the live-est Essence Fest stage in the building.
00:24Make some noise, y'all. It's Friday. It's the first day.
00:29Now, before we get into the next segment, can we just give it up for DJ Red Corvette,
00:34who's really doing her things on the ones and twos?
00:38DJ, how do you feel about, you know, taking us on a little journey throughout the U.S.?
00:44I mean, I live in ATL right now. Can you give me a little bit of ATL?
00:48But also, I'm originally from Miami-Dade County, so can you give me a little ATL,
00:53then take me over to Miami, then take me over to New Orleans?
00:58I feel like that would be a vibe. What y'all think?
01:03Let's get it.
01:08Oh.
01:11Oh, so y'all gonna let me dance by myself?
01:17Come on, stand to your feet. Come on now. We at Essence Fest.
01:21Come on.
01:24Hey.
01:26Hey.
01:28Hey.
01:30Hey.
01:32Hey.
01:34Get low, get low, get low, get low.
01:36To the window!
01:37To the window!
01:38To the wall!
01:39To the wall!
01:40I'm gonna put it out that I didn't fall!
01:42Fall!
01:43Tell me no these females!
01:45Hey!
01:49Who's back?
01:57Who's back?
01:59Make some noise if you love Trina!
02:04Oh!
02:05Oh!
02:06Oh!
02:07Everybody should be on their feet right now!
02:09Come on now!
02:10Come on now!
02:11Red, red, red Corvette!
02:18What?
02:19We're gonna get some sollten finance, a Setyer!
02:21So we're gonna make a drink!
02:23Go with a White Pro!
02:24By Penn State!
02:25The Man Jays!
02:26You could ride in the Jack, yeah.
02:28With that Jays!
02:29You could smoke a fighting bag, yeah!
02:30I'm a Grass, yeah!
02:31Got some money, I can flash ya!
02:32I'm a bass!
02:33I'm a player!
02:34Gun spray, yeah!
02:36I play the the fripper, yeah!
02:38What a Philly, yeah!
02:39Look out this neighborhood!
02:40I want a hockey duplex!
02:41Let it be understood, yeah!
02:42All good, yeah!
02:43Got a goodbout to see me lawn, yeah!
02:45All my hard day!
02:46When the tool gets broad, yeah!
02:47I see y'all.
02:49I see y'all.
02:51I see y'all.
02:53Hey, hey.
02:55I see you, brother.
02:57Bro, you look good.
02:59Girl, you look good.
03:07That, that, that, that.
03:09Hey, hey.
03:11Hey, hey.
03:13Hey, hey.
03:15Girl, who is you playing with?
03:17Back that thing up.
03:19Girl, you look good.
03:21Back that thing up.
03:23You got a stupid backyard.
03:25Make me laugh, yeah.
03:27Make a player wanna grab, yeah.
03:29We about to do this getting ready.
03:31Oh, oh, oh, you was gonna get me another one?
03:33Okay. You know what?
03:35I think we got some folks from New York.
03:39Oh, oh, oh, it's a whole lot of folks from New York.
03:43Don't give me a little bit of, you know,
03:45a little Brooklyn, a little Bronx.
03:47You know?
03:49A little, what else?
03:51I mean, Brooklyn and the Bronx.
03:53Who else? I mean, where y'all from?
03:55Where y'all from?
03:57Upstate? Okay, I mean, okay.
03:59Still, still.
04:01New York, New York.
04:03Give me a little bit of New York.
04:05Oh, oh, oh.
04:14I'm a hustler, baby.
04:19I get what I get.
04:24Now, I just wanna love ya.
04:28That's right.
04:29And with all this cash.
04:31What?
04:33What?
04:34Now.
04:35Give me that.
04:36That.
04:37That.
04:38That.
04:39But don't.
04:40What?
04:41Give me that.
04:44Okay.
04:45Oh, look.
04:47Come on now.
04:48I'm trying to stay professional.
04:50I'm trying to stay professional.
04:52What?
04:53What?
04:55Don't play with it.
04:56Don't play with it.
04:57Don't play with it.
04:58Come on.
05:01Let's do the first.
05:02I just wanna.
05:05Oh, so see, y'all ain't ready.
05:09Y'all ain't ready.
05:12Ay, ay.
05:13Give me another one.
05:21It's a classic right here.
05:24I'm gonna play with it.
05:28Do I have anybody from Philly in the house?
05:33Philly.
05:34Texas.
05:37Chicago.
05:39Oh, okay, so you gotta take me to Chi-town.
05:46Okay, they screamin' they hood.
05:47They screamin' they hood now.
05:49We gotta take the folks over to Chi-town.
05:50What you got for me, DJ Corvette?
05:52Also, do I have anybody from the West Coast?
06:03Okay, okay.
06:05All tree of y'all.
06:06All right.
06:10Let me check.
06:11Who else?
06:12ATL, of course, of course.
06:17We started out with ATL.
06:19Do I have more folks from ATL?
06:22Okay.
06:23One.
06:24Okay.
06:29Oh, come on Philly.
06:31Philly.
06:33Is this what they been waitin' for?
06:37Quick joke.
06:38I'm the only black person who doesn't know this verse word for word.
06:41I know.
06:42I'm sorry.
06:43Does that take my black heart away?
06:44I can still keep my black heart?
06:45Oh, okay, cool.
06:46I went wrong.
06:47Nice.
06:48Yeah.
06:49And also, right after that, can you take us a little bit over to?
06:51The West Coast for a little bit.
06:52And then we're gonna go into the next one.
06:53I went wrong.
06:54I went wrong.
06:55I went wrong.
06:56Nice.
06:57Yeah.
06:58And also, right after that, can you take us a little bit over to the West Coast for a
07:17little bit?
07:18And then we're gonna go into the next one.
07:20Hey.
07:21Oh, oh, oh.
07:22Oh, oh.
07:23Make some noise if you know this one.
07:27I go on and on.
07:30Hey.
07:31It must be more.
07:32It must be more.
07:33Yeah.
07:34Yeah.
07:35Yeah.
07:36Yeah.
07:37Yeah.
07:38Yeah.
07:39Yeah.
07:40Yeah.
07:41Yeah.
07:42Yeah.
07:43Yeah.
07:44Yeah.
07:45Yeah.
07:46Yeah.
07:47Yeah.
07:48Yeah.
07:49Yeah.
07:50Yeah.
07:51Yeah.
07:54Yeah.
07:55Yeah.
07:56Yeah.
07:57Yeah.
07:58All right.
07:59Yeah.
08:00I know.
08:01That's right, uh.
08:02Hi.
08:03I like to introduce you to the Thizzle Dance.
08:05Oh.
08:06Thizzle Dance?
08:07Thizzle Dance, I said.
08:08I said.
08:08I said.
08:09I said.
08:10I said.
08:11I said.
08:12I said.
08:13I said.
08:14Ooh.
08:15They do not call Essence Fest the largest African-American festival for nothing, okay?
08:21We're really out here putting on for our cities, so give yourselves a round of applause.
08:26Whether you're from Atlanta, Chi-Town, L.A., Miami, make yourself some noise.
08:35All right, so now we're halfway through the day at day one of Essence Fest.
08:40And I must say, they ain't live when they said the time flies when you're having fun.
08:43I feel like I just got in here.
08:45So whether you're in the building or you're tuning in on Essence.com or EssenceFestival.com,
08:50we want to see how you're enjoying 2023 Essence Festival of Culture from where you are.
08:56So share your photos and reactions by using the hashtag Essence Fest, all right?
09:02Hashtag Essence Fest.
09:05All right, so we're going to keep the party going with this next segment.
09:08Please help me welcome to the stage radio personality, Ms. Deja Vu.
09:15Oh, honey, honey, honey, come on my way.
09:25Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, what's going on Essence?
09:32Make some noise.
09:33What?
09:34Listen, I know y'all are standing around, but I'm going to need you to come on in.
09:38Come on in.
09:39We have some amazing things that are about to start happening today.
09:43Have you been enjoying yourselves?
09:45Well, my name, let me introduce you.
09:47My name is Deja Vu.
09:48I'm a national syndicated personality through ABC Audio.
09:52You might also hear and see me on Live with Kelly and Mark in the mornings on ABC and also in New York City on WBLS.
10:00New York in a building?
10:03Brooklyn.
10:04Okay, sorry.
10:06Now, we have an amazing time for you today, so we're going to turn up a little bit.
10:10If you're walking by, bring your friends on in.
10:12Believe me.
10:13Somebody say, believe her.
10:15You're going to want to stick around.
10:17So, now that I've done my thing, we're going to bring our Walt Disney World ambassador to the stage.
10:24He is like the face of Disney.
10:26Give it up right side for Rayvon Redding.
10:32Oh, my gosh.
10:33Look at him.
10:35Come on, brother.
10:37Oh, my gosh.
10:39Give it up for Rayvon.
10:40Rayvon Redding.
10:40Yes, yes, yes.
10:46Have a seat.
10:47Have a seat.
10:48Rayvon, it is so amazing to be here hanging out with you.
10:51Wait, let me get situated.
10:52And first, I know you guys have cameras, and I love cameras.
10:56But please, please, take it all in.
10:59Absorb it all down to the socks that match the suit.
11:04You are truly the face of Disney as our Walt Disney World ambassador.
11:09Tell us about that.
11:10Yeah, I'm honored.
11:11Well, myself and my partner, Allie, represent all 75,000 cast members that work at Walt Disney World Resort.
11:16And we do a plethora of things.
11:18I mean, we're representing the cast, recognizing them for all of the magic that they create.
11:22But most importantly, we do things within the community.
11:24And we're out and about, and we're spreading that joy and that magic that we create in the back.
11:28That Disney magic.
11:28Exactly.
11:29Absolutely, absolutely.
11:30So, let's talk a little bit about Disney theatrical productions.
11:35Are you a Broadway fan?
11:36A huge Broadway fan.
11:38I absolutely love live theater.
11:40There's nothing like it.
11:42And I mean, I think my favorite part about it is, you don't have to go to New York to receive that Broadway caliber entertainment.
11:48All throughout the world.
11:49All throughout the world.
11:50I mean, right now, we have our very own Broadway shows, touring North America, Frozen, Aladdin, The Lion King.
11:57I know, so incredible.
11:58That Lion King show is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
12:02And you know what?
12:03Let's give them a little bit of a taste right now.
12:04Let's do it.
12:05All right.
12:05Can we find a place on a path of finding in the circle, the circle of mind?
12:35One, seven, eight.
12:42Awesome.
12:43I feel like I should be dancing.
12:44I should be doing it.
12:45Every time.
12:46The circle.
12:47What?
12:47Come on.
12:48You guys know you do it.
12:49They know it.
12:49Anybody know the words to hakuna matata?
12:51Come on now.
12:52Hakuna matata.
12:53You know that you love this.
12:54Yes.
12:55Well, right now, I think we should do something.
12:58Yes.
12:58i need a couple a couple of volunteers don't be afraid to raise your hand oh i love this i think
13:04it's gonna be so fun right right right okay so we're gonna select them the broadway production
13:08of aladdin opened march 20th of 2014. the animated classic on the other hand released
13:13november 11th so right now we've got some friends in the audience who are going to check for people
13:19who have birthdays close to november 11th anybody with a birthday november 11th there's someone in
13:26the audience that should be a big giant mickey hand that's gonna help seek you out
13:32there's a mickey hand right there exactly november 11th close to no is there an exact
13:39she's exactly november oh there's an exact i think there's an exact right back there exactly
13:42november 11. and then we i think we might need another let's see all right let's see
13:50okay november 11th where's our mickey hand all right november 11th keep your hand up love yep
13:54keep your hand up okay our friend's gonna find you right over here in the center
14:00there we are right in the middle just behind you she's right there
14:05and we're gonna find out about what you might have gotten hooked up with okay
14:10okay so we're gonna keep going on and you know what we have another pair of mickey hands that are out in
14:20the audience i think we should look for another date okay we should look for another one yeah maybe march
14:2420th march 20th let's do that one there are march 20th anyone's birthday march 20th they're close to
14:30i think it has to be closer to you a little closer to the 20th i think it has to be closer to the 20th
14:59i think we might have our friend in the hat in the fedora right there we'll confirm our friend will
15:04confirm with you all right we're going to do that right now and while they're at the audience wait
15:10hand up yep there you are when is the birthday we're going to confirm
15:14we're going to be here we're going to be here we're going to be here we're going to be here
15:21all right
15:26incredible it's incredible see this is what happens when you come out here with us right
15:31we're so excited about everything that's happening here at essence festival we're celebrating
15:36of course on broadway and we have a special guest we have a very special guest joining us a dear friend
15:42of mine i'm so excited to bring to the stage someone that you all might know a friend like no one else
15:49michael james scott who plays genie on aladdin can i make a wish yes oh michael james scott come on down
15:57hey hey come on down the energy the energy we are so excited michael and i go way back michael used
16:18to be a cast member at walt disney world resort similar to myself are you serious yes and orlando
16:23native wait wait wait you're you were orlando i'm duval you come on now come on okay sorry i went back
16:32to my florida moment for just just a hot second but um so you got your your start up there oh yeah
16:38and now you've made it to broadway that is actually a magical dream come true it is i mean truly next
16:43year will be my 20th year celebration on broadway are you kidding me incredible yes i am i am the
16:52product of a community that really cares and really you know gave me opportunities and especially i mean
16:58it goes back to my disney days where i was i was a cast member doing this well down the main street
17:05doing all the things but when you're practicing were you envisioning because i'm a big person about
17:09visualizing success were you envisioning yourself on that broadway stage even as you were on the
17:14thing right there and at main street yeah i mean broad my broadway stage was in my living room so it
17:20didn't matter where i was but yes i always i only envisioned for me to be on broad but that was the
17:26only thing i ever wanted to do so then i have a question i want to know because i mean we have
17:30incredible individuals out in the audience of all shapes sizes colors backgrounds what does
17:35representation mean to you and how do you see the role genie impact those that see you on stage i mean
17:41representation is everything obviously it is to me the dream that we are all still trying to fight
17:47for right in terms of just figuring out what it is that we need to do to be represented but i i have the
17:53blessing and the gift to get to play a role that is an iconic role that literally represents love light
17:59and laughter and for a black man to be leading a show with that kind of representation to me is
18:06beyond important and i do not take that lightly to be able to present that out to the world it's like
18:11it's nice to see a black man smile on the stage what is it hashtag black boy joy yes yes because so many
18:18times we've gone through where everybody's want to meet mong there's there's excitement there's enthusiasm
18:23yeah so that to me is the most incredible thing about what i get to do and what i get to sort of
18:29you know be able to be a representation for people who look and they're like i would love to do that you
18:34know absolutely so then i i want to know because i love live theater i love broadway was it easy to
18:41find a space for you did you have to create your own space in that world of broadway and how did you
18:46feel about inclusion in that space as you were making your way up i mean i think it's both i think
18:51i was raised with uh parents who just said yes and they gave me the empowerment to believe that i
18:57could do whatever i wanted to do now whether or not i you know that whether or not that was really
19:02what you could you know i i that was what i believed and and so i think to be able to have that little
19:08bit of magic you know disney magic if you will bring into that is something that i think has really
19:15been uh uh and and and not waiting on anyone else right to me exactly it's not waiting on anyone else
19:22and being like okay i'm gonna make my own space if we you know i'm gonna make my chair and slide it
19:27right here so that we can you know now you know grandma growing up used to say a closed mouth don't
19:32get fed right and you had to open up your mouth and ask those questions to really figure out where
19:36you belonged and then if you didn't feel like you belonged you made it happen and i love that i absolutely
19:41love that so i want to know you know as a current cast member and there are cast members that are in
19:46the audience right now that are watching uh how has disney impacted you in terms of seeing yourself in
19:51the arts well disney has been doing this disney has been a part of the diversity game the inclusion
19:58game since i can remember and i will never forget in eighth grade i was the first walt disney dreamer and
20:05doer i won that award i won that award and go to middle school in middle school too i received that
20:10award yes so this is like your destiny yes so and it was disney that gave me that little spark yeah
20:17that it was possible i mean that is truly the magic of what i feel like that's why i say it always
20:22comes back to disney you know it's full circle it's a full circle circle it's a circle okay
20:27and it moves the soul he's going to take us to church but i know we had our participants get verified
20:33we want to check on them to see because i think we have a very special announcement we do we want
20:37to make sure our participants are they here verified
20:44where are they at where are our participants they're confirming i know we have something very
20:51very exciting we like making disney magic you genie on aladdin make dreams and wishes come true don't
20:56you uh-huh and i think we can do that right here at the essence stage just because we're not on
21:00broadway or not in the parks we can still make disney magic right we're making that happen so so so
21:06so we tell them what's happening i think we do i think they're verifying and confirming because i
21:10want to see their reactions i want to know okay what we're doing okay wait we see if we see where
21:15where are our friends the anticipation where did our friends go
21:20okay all right so you have been gifted four tickets each to see aladdin live on broadway in new york city
21:36oh my gosh four tickets yes four tickets each you've been gifted to come to broadway and sit in a
21:43broadway house and see the amazingness that is aladdin and maybe me and you know some some of me
21:51incredible thank you so much for making that magic that's amazing okay wait so you you know i can't
21:56let you just give us these tickets and gift us without gifting us your vocals and a taste of aladdin
22:03give us a little something y'all want a little something something we want a little something
22:07something yes well come on let's do this now let's do it everybody put your hands together michael james
22:15thank you so much
22:21well all right essence
22:32well that leaf out the half and forty thieves she gave us all to have a thousand tales but master you're in
22:38luck because up your speed you got a friend of the magic of the hills you got some power in your corner
22:45now so let me have this new york camp you got some punch pizzazz
22:49going out see all you gotta do is wrap that lamp and i'll say
22:58let me take your order johnny down you ain't never had a friend like me no no no
23:04life is your restaurant and i'm your maid of d come on whisper ladies you want you ain't never
23:11had a friend like me yes sir we pride ourselves on service you're the boss of the king of the show
23:18say what you wish it's your shootish i've got a little more
23:22you ain't never had a friend like me
23:34why why why why
23:38why why why
23:50hey
23:52come on guys
23:54hey
23:56hey
23:58hey
24:00hey
24:02hey
24:04hey
24:29hey
24:43hey
24:51thank you thank you so much essence
24:59hey
25:04give it up once again for michael j scott
25:08wasn't he amazing giving you a little taste of broadway how many have seen
25:14aladdin on broadway great show great show speaking of great shows we're going to have a great show
25:20tonight so we're going to hope that you're making it out to the superdome anybody ready
25:24the experience extends all the way out to the superdome but if you can't make it there in person
25:29this is a reminder that hulu somebody say hulu hulu will once again service our official
25:36streaming destination for essence fest prime time and all hulu subscribers will have the opportunity
25:44to join the celebration and catch exclusive virtual only content stuff that we won't even see here it's
25:50going to be virtual so you can get all of the highlights from daytime experiences as well as epic
25:56live performances does that sound good miss lauren hill is going to be at the superdome
26:02missy elliott megan the stallion many many more at that superdome essence fest prime time will stream
26:10uh hulu friday that's today june 30th through sunday july 2nd 7 p.m to 11 p.m central this year's
26:18essence fest prime time is sponsored by target now we're gonna be back soon but in the meantime we're
26:24gonna throw in some music up on the screen courtesy of disney music group are y'all ready let's dance
26:29yeah uh you know um i just want to dedicate this to uh you know anybody out there that's uh
26:47just trying to figure out what is this thing we call life you know uh from a bird's eye view
26:59that's why i think i do better that's why i think i do better uh-huh what's life without love
27:10what's life without dreams what's life without goals everything ain't what it seems it's life
27:15without friends who remain genuine don't care about the money or what type of crib you in who can
27:21withstand the test of time is this a yes of mine here in real life homie this is not a set design
27:27not on tv screens or the magazine covers sitting and observing as the travesty flutters while we
27:33got a beef dog i'd rather be brothers thinking about why we even mad at each other lost boy in
27:39this world full of hatred and greed see a young homie making what they hate in the seat never
27:44complacent i be on the chase for the cream cash rules everything but you facing the king let's step up
27:51to this parliament every single apology i know you in denial like a alcoholic father is
27:56hold on let me pause a bit nobody is as raw as this word to jesus christ i hope nobody ever
28:01crossed the kid uh yes men are the main judas but i will remain true it's my problems i ain't do it
28:08is that thought provoking and leave you lost and hoping voices in my head be lying so my heart has spoken
28:14rap far from quote and they just out here saying you're random uh had to drop a classic because i heard
28:19they was demanding it anxiety is damaging but what's the pressure make that stuff in front of
28:24soul but with a touch of effort nothing less a real love that ain't nothing better that's why
28:29i need that real love cause it ain't nothing better see what's life without purpose what's life without
28:34verses lost boy in this thing what's life without churches what's life without beliefs what's life
28:40without without goals what's life without me man what's me without soul my god
28:46yeah yeah
28:50you know i'm yeah
28:54i swear i think i do better
28:58hey that's why i think i do better
29:10i'm a bird's eye view on the way
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