Beyonce Knowles, Queen Latifah and Ne-Yo turned the 2009 Essence Music Festival into a Michael Jackson tribute over the weekend (03-05Jul09) as they saluted the late King of Pop’s legacy.

The stars came out for the three-day New Orleans, Louisiana event and each artist used their set to pay their respects to Jackson, who died on 25 June (09).

The festival kicked off on Friday (03Jul09) with a brass band providing the soundtrack to a Jackson video montage, with images and footage of the superstar from his Jackson 5 days through to his pop heyday lighting up the screens at the Louisiana Superdrome.