Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas to headline 2019 Essence Festival

Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas and more are set to headline the 2019 Essence Festival in July.

Pharrell Williams, H.E.R., Teyana Taylor, Normani, Queen Naija, Anthony Hamilton, City Girls, Davido, Big Freedia, Ledisi, Jermaine Dupri, Jacquees, Nao, PJ Morton, El DeBarge, Sheila E., Big Daddy Kane and Teddy Riley are also set to perform with more acts to be announced at a later date.

The 2019 Essence Festival will be taking place at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The event is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will also be paying homage to the 25th anniversary of Blige's album My Life and Nas' Illmatic.

Frankie Beverly will also be honored. Tickets will be going on sale at a later date. Loni Love of The Real fame will be hosting.

"When the Essence Festival was founded 25 years ago, it marked a pivotal moment of vision and reverence -- a critical acknowledgement of and investment in the power of our culture. In the years since, it has set a standard that many other festivals have aspired to and today, the ESSENCE Festival has grown to represent an annual homecoming for black artists from across the globe," Essence Communications CEO Michelle Ebanks said in a statement.

Janet Jackson, Blige, Miguel, Fantasia and Xscape took the stage at the 2018 Essence Festival.