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Partying Like It’s 1999 Prince was perfect for an audience of extreme beauty, but in the end the Chevy SSR rocked the crowd! Music filled the corridors from Bourbon Street to the Louisiana Superdome as thousands packed the city of New Orleans during the Independence Day weekend for the 10th Annual Essence Music Festival co-sponsored by Chevrolet. According to the folks at Essence, “It is a true party with a purpose.” You want to talk about hard money? The Mayor claims that Essence has a 750 million dollar economic impact on the city every year! Chevrolet, who is in its 5th year of sponsorship, came to the party with a very special treat for all. First, they offered opportunities for everyone to test drive their new product line-up. Then they were gracious enough to donate a custom edition SSR to the Essence team so it could be auctioned to benefit the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts/Riverfront. The SSR, a flamboyant hard-top, convertible pick-up with a 300-horpower V8, featured original artwork entitled “Creole Lady” by Margaret Slade Kelley. The painting on the hood embodies a woman who represents all that is Essence according to Kelley. “She has beauty, strength and ability,” states the painter. Scores of anxious consumers went bananas over the opportunity to push the re-incarnation of Sanford and Son’s junkyard dog. “We wanted to do something really special to commemorate the Festival’s 10th anniversary,” Said Nate Love, Chevrolet Marketing Manager.               Essence is justifiably one of the wildest celebration sets of all time. It starts with “soul plane” flights to New Orleans from all over the country. During the day, there is massive activity on the strip for food and drinks, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for seminars and networking, and mid-day mingling and shopping with the family. When the sun goes down, the real party begins. Prince, who headlined the concert series, had his fans utterly melting and crying for more. On Bourbon Street, floods of young men and women partied into the early hours of the morning, just to get up and do it all over again. Also in town for show performances and spicy southern cuisine were LL Cool J, Tyrese, Mary J. Blige, New Edition, Anthony Hamilton, and many more.