A festival of music and empowerment

For years, the motto of the Essence Music Festival has been “party with a purpose.” This year may be the one year where the purpose overshadows the party.

Forced to relocate from its longtime home in New Orleans to Houston due to Hurricane Katrina, this year’s event, which kicks off today and ends Monday, promises the usual array of top celebrity performers, including Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, Toni Braxton and a New Edition reunion with Bobby Brown.

But its empowerment component -- daylong panels, workshops and speeches that are free to the public -- could end up being the highlight of the event. Speakers include Bishop T.D. Jakes, rapper Nas, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Magic Johnson.

“I think that there is a galvanizing of the spirit in this nation, in support of evacuees and the pain that those people have and many still are experiencing,” said Susan Taylor, editorial director of Essence, the magazine geared toward black women. “This is now a call to action.”

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FINALLY

Renewed: TNT has picked up its drama series “The Closer” for a third season next summer.