The Essence Festival is a music festival held by Essence magazine every year in New Orleans.
.@maryjblige @kendricklamar @tromboneshorty and #floetry are about to blaze this stage! Stay tuned! #BringTheLove!
The festival draws more concertgoers than both Coachella and South by Southwest.
The festival attracts people from all over the world, but a lot of them are Southerners, born and bred.
We asked some of them what it means to be from the South, and here's what they said.
1.
"Comfort, hospitality, soul food!"
2.
"New Orleans is a burst of culture."
3.
"The South speaks to spunk and spice!!!"
4.
"Clatchet (classy & ratchet)."
5.
"What is means to be a New Orleanean is: being in a melting, Creole pot of people that come from all walks of life."
6.
"Southern is good food, people, and love!!"
7.
"Boosie Bad Azz."
8.
"Class, sass, and lots of ass!!"
9.
"There are no strangers."
10.
"Football."
11.
"Southern is us!! Southern is tradition, heritage, food, a way of life, and an acceptance of all life forms."
12.
"It's a family thing!!"
13.
"Sweet tea and good tunes."
14.
"Hugs and home cooking."
15.
"It's love of your family, friends, neighbor, and every one you meet. It's helping without being asked. It's sharing what you have even when you don't have. It's everything that makes this world great. Southern girl!!!"
16.
!["The south speaks to big bone[d] beautiful black women!"](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2015-07/6/20/enhanced/webdr11/original-24332-1436228656-23.jpg)
"The south speaks to big bone[d] beautiful black women!"
