The bad guys were down to earth at this year’s energy-boosting Essence Fest, where culture collided with community in a star-powered spectacular in the heart of the Big Easy.
Surrounded by stunners, attendees were treated to every flavor of eye candy from Coco Jones to Keke Palmer who brought her hit podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer to the Essence main stage for a Live Tap Special .
Joined by Grammy-winning reality star Kandi Burruss, Keke delivered her signature brand of hilarity as she performed her hit guest spot in front of an overflowing crowd at the convention center.
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence
Source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence
The Multi-Jobbed Maven also released an exclusive clip from his upcoming comedy-heist film The Pickup Truck starring Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson coming to Prime Video on August 6.
In The Pickup, mismatched armored truck driver Russell ( Eddie Murphy ) and Travis ( Pete Davidson) find themselves embroiled in a $60 million casino heist plot with plans that go far beyond the Cash Cargo.
Source: Amazon MGM Studios
As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-octane danger, clashing personalities, and a very bad day that just keeps getting worse.
Check out the trailer below:
Directed by Tim Story ( The Darkening Like This, Walk Along and Barbershop ), the streaming sufire also starred Eva Longoria, Marshawn Lynch, Joe “Roman Reigns” Ano’i, Andrew Dice Clay and Ismael Cruz Córdova.
“He’s an icon,” Story said of working with Murphy during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show .
“We hear a lot about comedians talking about how much of an impact he made on them, [but] sometimes you don’t hear how he impacted cinema… he’s a big reason why I make the films I make.”
Will you be sitting down for The Pickup ? Tell us below and enjoy our gallery of fly girls, muva queens, and viral stunners who killed Essence Fest 2025 on the flip.
