By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Legendary soul crooner Frankie Beverly is feeling good about keeping up with tradition at the 2007 Essence Music Festival.

Since the first-ever Essence Fest in 1995, he and his group -- officially titled Maze featuring Frankie Beverly -- has closed out the show as the final headliner of the festivities.

And this year, it won't be any different; the Philadelphia native will is expected to lead thousands of festival-goers into an enormous electric slide in the Louisiana Superdome with nostalgic hits like 'Before I Let Go' and 'Joy and Pain.'

"Our return to New Orleans wouldn't be a family reunion without them," stated Essence Communications President Michelle Ebanks, who considers their performance "one of the most well known and anticipated highlights of the Essence Music Festival."

Thus far, it's big business as usual for the 13th Annual Essence Music Festival, which is marking a buoyant return to the Crescent City; revitalizing the tourism industry with an estimated 200, 000 people from across the country.

Despite the abundance of scantily clad sisters strolling through the French Quarters and the wide eyed brothers who leer at them (think: Freaknic) making me wonder if some of the people who attend the event actually "get it" (or even actually READ 'Essence' magazine), it's still like a big, ole family reunion-like environment.

I, myself, ran into some people I haven't seen in years. (Some I wish I didn't but hey: it is what it is, and it ain't what it ain't.)

And even though Eddie Levert and The O'Jays and the remaining members of LSG turned the Louisiana Superdome inside out on Thursday night, Beyonce (with opening acts including R&B hottie Chris Brown, multimedia comedian Steve Harvey and blue-eyed soul crooner Robin Thicke) turned the super-sized venue upside down on Friday night. (More on Beyonce to follow, also see fast breaking photos below.)

To be the ultimate showstopper may be a tall order for some.

But for Maze, who have been moving and grooving crowds internationally since they formed in 1976, this is like second nature.

Tonight's show, also featuring some of the finest in the genre -- Destiny's Child diva Kelly Rowland, Hp-Hop/Soul crooner Ne-Yo, R&B legend Lionel Richie, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige -- is already a much anticipated affair.

So much so that, while in the Walgreens convenient store (on Canal Street) yesterday, I overheard a few of those scantily clad sisters deciding what type of get-up they are going to wear to see Ne-Yo and The Queen tonight.

I shook my head and grimaced.

I never understood why some of my black people feel they have to dress up to look like the artists they are going to pay their money to see entertain them.

I never dressed up like Aretha Franklin when I went to see her.

Hmph. Maybe I should start.

LOL.

You can only imagine the litany of broke-down Beyonces that poured into the Superdome.

It could make your head spin!

But I digress.

Let's get back to Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.

For more than three decades, the outfit has won over legions of R&B fans with gold-selling albums that include 'Golden Time of Day,' 'Inspiration,' 'Joy and Pain,' 'We Are One' and 'Can't Stop the Love.' The hits from these groundbreaking albums certified the group's place on the R&B charts with twenty-four Top 40 singles from 1977 to 1994.

Die-hard Essence Fest denizens can expect to party with a purpose until the wee hours in the morning as the R&B vets perform the abovementioned musical morsels.

"The Essence Music Festival is the only three-day African-American event that stands on the level of the great classic festivals, such as Woodstock," commented Beverly. "We're very proud to have been there with Essence from the beginning because the Festival takes place in a city we love -- New Orleans. And, considering the impact of the Katrina tragedy -- this is, indeed, a 'Coming Home' party."

--Check out our Essence Music Festival Gallery below...