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Crowd
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Dan Slavin; Courtney and Mike Hopson
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Carrie Leinicke, Sgt. Hugh Tychson
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Lillian Jones, Ali
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Minga and Johnny Furr
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Susan Sherman and Don King
photos by Blacktie St. Louis
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Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri
photo by Synergy
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Paul Ha, Nelly, Evander Holyfield
photo by Synergy
A high-contrast celebration of independence: black and white garb, hors doeuvres, furniture; comedy, pulsing hip-hop and a motion-sensored video wall; the stark concrete and new art of the Contemporary Art Museum. Extreme celebrities, tooJanet Jackson, Allen Iverson, Ashanti, Evander Holyfield ... Even the after-party at the Pepper Lounge was intense, with Nelly, Jermaine Dupri and Murphy Lee performing on the spur of the moment. They played for an hour, binding the spell.