Saturday, July 5, will mark a special night during the 2008 Essence Music Festival, as the stars of R&B and soul music will align, creating a “one night only” experience to celebrate the legacy of Ms. Patti LaBelle, it was announced today by Essence Communications Inc. The all-star tribute will include the original members of LaBelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, Angie Stone, Chrisette Michele, Irma Thomas, Ledisi, Ruby Amanfu and more.

“It is an honor for us to have Ms. Patti LaBelle, a living legend, grace our stage during the 2008 Essence Music Festival,” says Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications Inc. “This will be a very special performance in the history of the Essence Music Festival as the original members of LaBelle, Angie Stone, Chrisette Michele, Ledisi and more come together for a stellar celebration of a voice that is timeless.”

Grammy-award winning soul diva Patti LaBelle has enjoyed one of the longest-living careers in contemporary music. With timeless classics including “Lady Marmalade”, “New Attitude” and “On My Own” spanning over four decades, the Philadelphia native is critically acclaimed as the Queen of R&B and soul music.

Patti LaBelle, the original members of LaBelle—Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, Irma Thomas and Ruby Amanfu join previously announced Essence Music Festival performers Rihanna, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Keyshia Cole, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Morris Day and The Time and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

The night-by-night schedule of performances will include:

FRIDAY, JULY 4                        SATURDAY, JULY 5                  SUNDAY, JULY 6

Main Stage                              Main Stage                              Main Stage

J. Holiday                                   Musiq                                        Morris Day & The Time

Rihanna                                     LL Cool J                                    Keyshia Cole

Chris Brown                               Jill Scott                                    Chris Rock

Kanye West                               ESSENCE Icons                          Mary J. Blige

                                                Celebrate Patti LaBelle                Maze featuring Frankie Beverly

The Essence Music Festival Superlounges will feature: Bamboula 2000; Big Sam’s Funky Nation and the New Orleans Funk Soul Explosion; Terence Blanchard; Peabo Bryson; Mint Condition; Cupid; Raheem Devaughn; Estelle; Grandmaster Flash; Gill Scott-Heron; Lyfe Jennings; Karina; Kermit Ruffin’s Tribute to Louis Armstrong; Ledisi; Irma Thomas and the Professionals; Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra; Chrisette Michelle; Nicholas Payton Quintet; Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s Gospel Revival; Purple Disrespect; Rebirth Brass Band; Christian Scott; Solange; Angie Stone and Marva Wright.

Tickets for the evening concerts are on sale immediately at ticketmaster.com or (800) 488-5252.  To find performance dates for your favorite artists, hotel accommodations, ticket prices, weekly promotions and volunteer opportunities for the 2008 Essence Music Festival log on to www.essence.com/emf.

Sponsors of the 2008 Essence Music Festival include presenting sponsor, Coca-Cola; major sponsors Chevrolet, CoverGirl Queen Collection, McDonald’s, Pantene, U.S. Army, and Wal-Mart; and official sponsors Budweiser, My Black is Beautiful, Southwest Airlines, TBS, TVOne, Vaseline and VH1 Soul.

The Essence Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American musical talent; featuring an unprecedented three days of cultural celebrations and empowerment seminars and three nights of performances by some of today’s greatest African-American artists.

The Essence Music Festival started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine. Now the Festival has been heralded as one of the country’s “Top 10 Leading Brand Events” in 2007 by Advertising Age; highlighted prominently among well-known consumer events such as NASCAR and Spring Break. The Essence Music Festival has featured a host of legendary performers over the years, including Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Beyoncè, Chaka Khan, Chris Brown, Destiny's Child, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys Knight, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, John Legend, Kanye West, The Isley Brothers, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, The O’Jays, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle and Yolanda Adams, to name a few.

The 2008 Essence Music Festival is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC and produced by Rehage Entertainment. Essence Festivals LLC is a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).

About Essence Communications Inc.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the leading media and communications company dedicated to African-American women.  With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is “Where Black Women Come First”.  The company’s flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, Women Who Are Shaping the World Leadership Summit, Window on Our Women (WOW I, II & III) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD) via Essence Studios. For 38 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a readership of 8.3 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women’s lives.

Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at essence.com.