Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman Festival returned bigger and better with a legendary #HipHop50 concert and must-see performances by Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Method Man, Jodeci, Summer Walker, and more.
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The second annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit took over Atlanta for Mother’s Day weekend. Mary, Pepsi, and Live Nation brought the stars out for a powerhouse R&B concert, rare performances of Mary’s deep cuts, and an epic #HipHop50 celebration.
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Fans eased into the festivities with An Evening with Robert Glasper and Luke James at City Winery on Thursday night.
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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
#HipHop50 Concert Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Ciara, DJ Drama And More
On Friday, the concert series started with an homage to Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary. Mary and friends sold out the State Farm Arena for “a celebration of Hip Hop’s past, present, and future,” per a press release. Jodeci, Busta Rhymes, and Jadakiss, took the stage with their ground-breaking hits.
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DJ Drama’s set featured surprise performances from Atlanta natives T.I., Young Dro, Lloyd, Bobby Valentino, K Camp, Travis Porter, and Dem Franchize Boyz.
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After Jeezy hyped the crowd up with classics like “Put On” and “Geeked Up,” Akon joined him for their top 100 song “Soul Survivor.”
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Mary J. Blige had something special for her die-hard fans throughout her more than 30 years in the game. She blessed them with rarely-seen performances of her deep cuts in “MJB B-Sides.
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Power: Book II co-stars Mary and Method Man performed their hit collaboration that solidified Mary’s status as Queen of Hip Hop Soul “All I Need.” The exciting night didn’t end there.
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More ladies of Hip Hop surprised Mary by taking the stage with special performances. Missy Elliott, Ciara, Rah Digga, and newcomer Lola Brooke wrapped up the incredible night of Hip Hop’s finest.
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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
Check out the epic second night of R&B with Coco Jones, Muni Long, Lucky Daye, Summer Walker, and Lauryn Hill after the flip!
The Strength Of A Woman R&B Concert Featured Coco Jones, Muni Long, Lucky Daye, Summer Walker, And Lauryn Hill
On Saturday night, it was all about R&B. The highly-anticipated showcase featured some of the genre’s latest and greatest stars, including Lauryn Hill.
Bel-Air actress and singer Coco Jones started the night on a high note. Her enchanting performance of “ICU” moved the crowd with her soulful voice.
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Muni Long flexed her vocal range with her sensual hit song, “Hrs & Hrs.” She followed up with covers of homegrown crowd-pleasers “Lovers and Friends” and “U Got It Bad.”
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Grammy-winner Lucky Daye had something extra for the ladies, seducing a fan onstage with a sultry performance of “Love You Too Much.” He also serenaded the crowd with “Guess” and “Late Night.
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Summer Walker had the whole crowd vibing and under her spell with ballads like “Playing Games,” “Session 32” and “Insane.”
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The night closed with the legendary Lauryn Hill. The former Fugees star shut it down with performances of her iconic hits. Her performances of “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Killing Me Softly” had the audience on their feet and singing along.
The weekend came to an end with a night of comedy on Sunday. Mike Epps headlines the hilarious event on Mother’s Day with Henry Walsh, Erica Duchess, Navv Green, and Don’t Call Me White Girl.
Check out Mary giving back with a new scholarship and more Strength of a Woman Festival pics after the flip!
Mary J. Blige Continued To Uplift At The Strength Of A Woman Summit With $200K In Donations And A New HBCU Scholarship
In addition to the incredible music, Strength of a Woman delivered a summit hosted by Marsai Martin to uplift Black women.
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Mary J. Blige shared her excitement with People about returning for a second year to give back even more.
“Giving is a part of my life. And when I began to encourage women, I didn’t even know that I could start a movement like that,” Mary explained about her mission.
“In my neighborhood, we never had this type of event that we can bring our kids to, and grown women can go to and get uplifted and encouraged,” she continued.
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In partnership with Pepsi, Mary donated $200,000 to grassroots organizations that “support and amplify women” across Atlanta. She also announced the new Strength of a Woman Scholarship. The award will go to a “Black female student aspiring to or currently attending an HBCU.”
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“This is why we do it. We do it to educate and uplift and encourage and build up places and get to places that can’t afford or get this kind of support,” the “Good Morning, Gorgeous” singer said.
The event also showed love for the LGBTQ community with the Purpose Ball. Miss Lawrence Balenciaga hosted the Sunday event at The Bank, featuring Saucy Santana.
Source: Derek White / Getty
Source: Derek White / Getty
Check out more pics below from the 2023 Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit!
The Strength of a Woman Festival & Summit is the only festival experience of its kind produced exclusively by an all-Black women team.
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