Essence Communications Inc.

All Jokes Aside: Meet Comedy’s New King, Druski From viral memes to a vital presence in culture, he is redefining comedy for a new era. Before the world crowned him Druski, he was Drew Desbordes. Born in Maryland and raised in Gwinnett County, Georgia, he carried a southern drawl, sharp wit, and a gift for turning everyday life into comedy gold. The son of a pilot and a state department worker, Druski didn’t just grow up watching the internet, he mastered how to move it. His characters, from “Those fashion dudes that try to be so mysterious and weird” to “Girls put scrubs on and think they saving the world”, weren’t just skits. They became cultural touchstones, the kind of jokes that echo through group chats and dominate the timeline. What began as laughs in his living room has erupted into sold-out tours, brand-defining partnerships, and now a crowning moment. With a crown in hand, Druski isn’t following comedy’s playbook. He’s writing it. And with every laugh, he reminds us what happens when purpose outshines doubt. Druski is our latest Of The ESSENCE cover star. Read how he has laughed his way into a global empire now on ESSENCE.com. Talent: @druski Photographer: @jeregrier Stylist: @anatolli Grooming: @merrellhollis Tailor: @llebl27 Production: @themorrisongroup Post Production: #MatthewSo Location: @wsanyc ESSENCE, VP, Content: @itsnandibby ESSENCE, Art Director: @so.lit ESSENCE, Creative Operations: @hashtag_bre

Two Women. Two Journeys. One Undeniable Legacy. They didn’t just arrive on the scene; they shifted the atmosphere. Brandy from Carson, Monica from Atlanta. Two young girls with voices that carried a depth years couldn’t explain. Both carrying what couldn’t be manufactured: Presence. Then came “The Boy Is Mine.” A record-breaking anthem that earned them a Grammy and intertwined their journeys for a lifetime. Brandy became the vocal bible, her influence still echoing in every run and riff that followed. Monica became the truth-teller, the Southern hymn whose voice rang out like both sermon and street anthem. They didn’t simply chart hits; they authored chapters in the story of music. Make no error: this new era is long overdue, but it arrives right on time. The reunion we’ve been asking for is finally here, and the harmony of their story gains another chapter. We’d drop the mic, but it’s always on around here. Presenting our forever icons, Brandy & Monica, as our Fall/Winter ESSENCE cover stars. https://lnkd.in/gCrZeKv2

“I’m not about to let that happen to my history.” - Kamala Harris Now more than ever, it’s essential that we document our stories in our own words. Vice President Kamala Harris stopped by the ESSENCE office for an intimate conversation with CCO Michele Ghee about her new book 107 Days and why this was the moment to tell her truth. Check out this sneak peek of the conversation and stayed tuned to ESSENCE.com for more.

Every artist has a moment when the world catches up to what people already knew. For Marlon Wayans, this is that moment. When he first hit our screens, he walked straight into our hearts, and we knew a star had been born. We grew up with him on In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He went on to create cult classics like Don’t Be a Menace, Scary Movie, and White Chicks, leaving us with iconic scenes that still live rent-free in pop culture. Now he is commanding screens in a way that makes critics whisper words like “Oscar.” Marlon Wayans REALLY is HIM. Catch the full story of our latest Of The ESSENCE cover here: https://lnkd.in/gdTzxdxk Talent: @marlonwayans Writer: @coolhandoak Photographer: @kevin_amato Stylist: @jasonrembert Grooming: @tashareikobrown Set Design: @prsxlla Tailor: @thezaksteam Production: @themorrisongroup Location: @amato_studio Essence, VP , Content: @itsnandibby Essence, Art Director: @so.lit Essence, Creative Operations: @hashtag_bre

Texas Southern University, we're pulling up! ESSENCE Girls United and AT&T are partnering to bring an exciting day of conversation, connection, and celebration to Texas Southern University! This exclusive GU Pop-Up Mixer will feature a dynamic GU Campus Convos panel alongside a lively social experience, offering AT&T a unique platform to engage with HBCU students, alumni, and cultural influencers. Join us on Wednesday, September 24th from 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM for standout conversations, a mixer with light bites provided + a portrait studio and free goodies you can take home and share on social media. Event access is free and only for TSU students. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP now! RSVP Here: https://lnkd.in/g6aZSzN7

Boston showed up in a big way this Labor Day weekend! The city made a huge cultural moment with the inaugural ESSENCE HBCU Classic. The weekend featured Morehouse taking on Johnson C. Smith, but the spotlight stretched beyond the field. The city officially renamed a Roxbury street New Edition Way, honoring the legendary group where their story began. In true community spirit, New Edition surprised fans by gifting 3,000 tickets to Saturday’s game, ensuring their neighbors could join the celebration. That’s how you honor tradition, continue culture, and shape the city’s history.

Chelley Bissainthe & Ace Greene: A Look Into Their Own Reality After another viral season, Love Island USA remained the phenomenon of the summer. It broke records, trended daily, and brought together a cast of twenty-somethings in search of love and genuine connection. For Chelley and Ace, they found exactly that. Despite placing fifth just before the season finale and facing a wave of scrutiny both inside and outside the villa, their bond continues to thrive. Their love for each other, and for the supporters who have stood by them, rises above the noise. True fans are showing that love right back. Captured before recent developments, this Love Island USA couple offers a candid glimpse into life post-show—from navigating public scrutiny to building a relationship beyond the villa, while balancing personal ambitions with a shared vision for the future. Read the full Of The ESSENCE feature now: Live: https://lnkd.in/gshWGnc6

With hearts full of appreciation, we share that President & CEO Caroline Wanga will not be returning to her role as she embraces her next chapter — one guided by purpose, conviction, and continued impact. Arriving at Essence Ventures in 2020, she took the helm during a moment of both challenge and transformation. She helped us grow, innovate, and honor the legacy as a trusted voice for Black women while widening our cultural footprint with her fingerprints. “Caroline’s expertise in culture, equity, and organizational change has fueled progress across the ESSENCE Ventures portfolio,” says Richelieu Dennis, Founder and Chairman of Sundial Technology & Media Group, parent company of ESSENCE Ventures. “She has left an indelible mark on ESSENCE and beyond, and we celebrate the many ways she has amplified our mission and impact.” In her own words, Caroline reflected: “The opportunity to serve Black women as CEOs of home, culture and community will forever represent pride, to do my best to serve will forever represent courage, and fulfilling my next purpose calling will forever represent conviction.” With Arms wrapped and gratitude spoken: WE THANK YOU.

Now that the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture® has wrapped, we’ve taken a collective deep sigh. We’ve read your posts of you reading us and taken time to reflect on the who, the what, and the why. Here’s what we heard loud and clear: “We love ESSENCE Festival, and we want it to be better.” And so, we will be. Better. This year, we welcomed more than 40,000 ESSIES to the Convention Center, 400 artists, speakers, and cultural leaders across our stages—representing the depth, beauty, and brilliance of Black thought and creativity across the diaspora. When we say we love us, it’s all of US. And we’re unapologetic about that. Now let’s have the conversation. To make an event of this size possible, we rely on sponsors—some of whom have been with us for years with multi-year contracts. Their support helps us keep costs down and allows us to provide free programming, access, and services across the weekend. The Convention Center and those full-sized samples that we love? Yes, all of that. However, we recognize that business decisions and shifts in corporate policy don’t always reflect our community’s values. When that happens, we engage in the real conversations necessary to align on what matters most: The People. We are working closely with partners to ensure our moral compass remains steady and we continue to serve the communities who have entrusted us with their care. The Superdome. Yes, we heard you loud and clear. (Because clearly, you couldn’t hear us.) The production—we’re on it. The schedule—it will be released earlier, with a tighter, clearer run of show. Some of you said, “ESSENCE Fest doesn’t feel the same.” We hear that, too. The truth? We’re evolving. With evolution comes trial and error. But home should always feel like HOME. Heard. ESSENCE Festival of Culture® is a living legacy. Rooted in tradition, growing with intention. That doesn’t mean abandoning what made us sacred, it means building on it. To those who came: Thank You. To those who challenged us: Thank You. To those that dragged us: ATTEND, so you can experience it for yourself. To those who continue to believe in ESSENCE Festival: We Got You. With love and deep admiration, ESSENCE Festival of Culture®

Proverbs 31:29 states “Many Women do Noble things, but You Surpass them all.” There are women born to witness, and there are women born to remember. You are both. And something more still. You are the knowing before the question. The prayer said in a grandmother’s hum. You are literature. The language you gave us—soft and searing—sounded like home. It danced in the mouth like a freedom song. You made Black girlhood holy and Black womanhood a cathedral. You did not ask for worship. But still, we praise you. You did not seek legacy. But still, you are eternal. You braided a lineage. Threaded the stories of our mothers, sisters, aunties, and daughters into a single sacred cloth and said: Here. Wear this truth. We live in your spirit. For our 55th, it feels only right—divine, even—that we return to the woman who spoke in spirit and in truth, the one who made ESSENCE feel like home, healing, and a hallelujah: Susan L. Taylor. To read more of Susan L. Taylor’s “In the Spirit,” get the special ESSENCE 55th Anniversary issue on newsstands now and download the ESSENCE 360 app to stay connected. Talent: @iamsusanltaylor Photographer: @mickalenethomas Stylist: @mspmacklin Writer: #ashabandele Makeup: @__fairweatherfaces Nails: @arlenehinckson Set Design: @jennykcorrea Tailor: @costumer.shirlee Production:@themorrisongroup Post Production: @onehundredberlin Location: @pier59studios ESSENCE, VP, Content: @itsnandibby ESSENCE, Visuals Director: @_mq____ ESSENCE, Art Director: @so.lit