The ESSENCE Music Festival went down in July in New Orleans, but professional footage of the show has recently become available online. If you weren’t at the Louisiana Superdome, catch Janet Jackson’s much-talked-about headlining set, from her 1989 hit “Rhythm Nation” to last year’s ballad “Nothing.” Trey Songz and LL Cool J provided eye candy for the ladies. The 25-year-old heartthrob made his female admirers sweat with his slow jams, while the original ladies man licked it up with “Doin’ It” and “Rock the Bells.”

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Trey Songz celebrated Independence Day by performing on Day 3 of the ESSENCE Music Festival at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. He and Mary J. Blige set off sparks when they dueted on their collaboration “We Got Hood Love.” “Just got off stage wit MjB…life is great!! Happy Independence Day, once again. I’m on cloud 99,” an overjoyed Trey tweeted.

Jill Scott, Earth, Wind & Fire, Estelle, and Melanie Fiona also participated in the final day of the festival.

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Alicia Keys may sing about “Fallin’,” but this time she really did it. The pregnant songstress fell backwards while performing “Love Is Blind” at the ESSENCE Music Festival on Saturday (July 3). But Ms. Keys kept it moving, getting right back up and playing the piano. A concertgoer can be heard asking, “Did she mean to do that?” Now that’s when you know you’re a true pro!

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Keri Hilson graced the ESSENCE Music Festival stage for the second straight year, singing her own hits and songs on which she’s featured, including Trina’s “Million Dollar Girl” and T.I.’s “Got Your Back.” But the biggest surprise came when she brought out comeback kid El DeBarge to duet on “I Like It” at the Louisiana Superdome.

Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, T.I., Trey Songz, Mystikal, LL Cool J, and Gladys Knight also made appearances on Day 2 of the festival in New Orleans.

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After being asked numerous times over the last 15 years to perform, Janet Jackson finally accepted ESSENCE’s invitation to headline this year’s ESSENCE Music Festival at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Friday (July 2). “They’ve asked me for a while to be a part of the festival and my schedule never really permitted it,” Ms. Jackson explained to CNN.

The pop superstar, dressed as a futuristic dominatrix, pleased old and new fans with material including “The Pleasure Principle,” “Control,” “Rhythm Nation,” and her latest single “Nothing.” She even catered to one lucky male fan onstage in an S&M sequence, complete with whips and a straitjacket.

Monica, Charlie Wilson, Raphael Saadiq, and Chrisette Michele also performed earlier in the day.

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Robin Thicke, Maxwell, Jazmine Sullivan, Ryan Leslie, Melanie Fiona, and more celebrated America’s independence by performing at the ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans on Saturday (July 4).

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Beyoncé, Ne-Yo, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Solange, Keri Hilson, Salt-N-Pepa, and more joined the festivities on Day 1 of the 15th Annual ESSENCE Music Festival at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on Friday (July 3).

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Keyshia Cole signs copies of her CD on the third day of the 2008 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans on Sunday.

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