# @essence on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C2h8CRDx2N0
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/10785094-essence-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/dcb9240155.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-01-25T16:44:59.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** ESSENCE (@essence) — https://gondola.cc/essence

## Caption

Traversing Chief-ness doesn’t always come with long tenured living as a human being.
 
The January/February edition of #ChiefToChief features the “chiefly” character being cultivated in 5-year-old rapper Savannah McConneaughey, better known as Van Van, by her parents, that’s liberating her natural musical gifting and talent beyond what you would expect the average pre-kindergartener to be capable of. 
 
Essence Ventures President & CEO Caroline Wanga spent some time with Van Van in North Carolina as a member of her mostly adult follower base on social media, as she raps with a confident demeanor that even adults strive to achieve. Spitting lines like, “Big Van, Big Dreams I got a clear vision,” on her new single “Pull Out The Keys,” she speaks inspiration to people across all ages – including at the recent #ESSENCEFest and as part of the performance line-up alongside MC Lyte, Monie Love & more to celebrate Queen Latifah at the 46th Kennedy Center Honors!
 
Imagine a future where every child’s unique gifting, character, and humanness is strictly protected and fiercely nurtured to ensure their entry into adulthood is abundantly whole and thoroughly equipped for the audacious acts the community awaits. 
 
To read more and to catch the full video interview, go to ESSENCE.com, and learn how “Vanna” is operating in the abundance of her interests and skills while “smiling since she came out,” according to her parents. Interview can also be found in our January/February issue on newsstands now.
 
Grab your favorite 5- or 50-year-old and watch this one together y’a!l! Cheers to all the chiefs at any age!
 
P.S. She even gives Caroline a lesson on her famous “Van Van” shuffle.

## Stats

- **Views:** 16,454
- **Likes:** 0
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 121

## Tags

essencefest, chieftochief

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