The Recap: Essence Music Festival 2012 (Photo Gallery)

Essence Festival 2012 weekend concluded on Sunday. Although we didn’t attend this year, I heard it was another memorable event. Check out the celebrities who were there and ones who performed! Recap after the jump!

Via Billboard.com: What’d you miss on Saturday at Essence Fest? Check out these seven things seen and heard:

1. After belting out one of her most vulnerable cuts, “No More Drama,” Mary J Blige lowered the mic and found herself speechless and in tears to the fans’ love. Several moments throughout her set, fans showed their loyalty and by reciting every word in unison, without request.

2. Mid-set, after performing “Real Love,” Mary J. Blige paid homage to Friday’s Essence Festival headliner, Charlie Wilson, by performing her own rendition of “Outstanding.” “Thank you Charlie Wilson for the great music,” MJB said.

3. Two years after the debut of their fourth studio album, “InDrupendence Day,” Dru Hill trekked to New Orleans to reunite on stage, twice. During their set at the Coca Cola Superlounge, at both 8:45 and 10:14 pm, the 90s R&B group, dressed in all white, performed classics like “Beauty,” “In My Bed,” and a new song called “Always.”

4. The Superdome quickly filled up minutes before Kevin Hart took the stage for his stand-up performance. The comedian/actor, who celebrated his birthday on Friday, had the packed house laughing seconds into his set, referencing characters from his past shows that loyal Hart fans would appreciate.

5. Ledisi returned to her hometown to give one of the night’s best performances. The singer had the ladies in the Superdome on their feet and with their arms around their beau for songs as her latest single, “So Into You,” and independent women anthems like “Bravo” and “Pieces of Me.”

6. Opener Tank warmed up the crowd, the majority of which were slowly making their way into the venue, with ample seduction. Although the singer performed an array of fan favorites, plucked from his five studio albums, the crowd went wild when Tyrese — a third of their group TGT (Tyrsese, Ginuwine, Tank) — joined him on stage. Tank tried to regain the reigns by shedding clothes during his last song of the night, “Please Don’t Go.”

7. DJ Steve Nice returned for a second night to keep the crowd on their feet with R&B/hip-hop classics before MJB took over the main stage. Nice kept the crowd moving and hollering to hits from artists from all coasts, from Notorious B.I.G. to Tupac.

Photo Gallery (Courtesy of Necole Bitchie, Billboard.com, and Essence):

Mary Mary

Mary J Blige

Chaka Khan

Aretha Franklin

Melanie Fiona

Trey Songz and his mother

This year at the 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival held the 2nd annual Eye Candy Pageant at the ESSENCE.com Live Stage in the New Orleans Convention Center hosted by Free.