NEW ORLEANS — Essence is back in The Big Easy and this year they're serving up a history lesson in hip hop with a side of politics.
Fans already started to make memories on Thursday, the first day of the five day event.
Steven Mitchell, visiting from North Carolina said the music motivated him to go to his first Essence.
"They are celebrating the 50 years of hip hop, so that's another reason I'm here, because they are bringing in a lot of our old-school hip-hop artists," Mitchell said.
Patricia Jackson, said she plans on becoming a regular, after visiting Essence for the first time last year.
"It's a great event - I love the love that it brings to the city, and I love the way it brings our community together and expresses our culture," Jackson said.
Thursday's Global Black Economic Forum brought Vice President Kamala Harris to the festival.
Harris was set to discuss black equity, inflation and upward mobility, but she also used the platform to express her disappointment in the Supreme Court's ruling on affirmative action.
"The disappointment is because this is now a moment where the court has not fully understood the importance of equal opportunity for the people of our country," Vice President Harris said. "It is a complete misnomer to suggest this is about colorblind, when in fact it is about being blind to history."
Harris went on to add that the Biden administration hopes businesses across the country don't see this as an opportunity to ignore diversity in the workplace.
The vice president has been expected to continue her participation in Essence tomorrow, appearing alongside Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.