Tamar Braxton, Kandi Burruss & Monica’s Awkward ESSENCE Fest Photo Op Has Fans Cracking Up

What was supposed to be a celebratory photo at ESSENCE Fest quickly turned into one of the internet’s funniest viral moments.

Tamar Braxton, Kandi Burruss, and Monica had social media talking after an awkward onstage interaction during the Black Women in Music ceremony at ESSENCE Fest, where music icon Missy Elliott was honored with the ESSENCE Icon Award.

As cameras prepared to capture the group photo, Tamar reached across Monica to greet Kandi by grabbing her hand. However, Kandi appeared less than enthusiastic about the interaction, while Monica also seemed uninterested in forcing a smile as Tamar briefly touched her wrist.

The brief exchange immediately sparked reactions online, with fans pointing out the noticeable tension between the three stars.

The awkward moment comes years after Tamar and Kandi’s well-documented feud. Their issues date back to the 2017 tour featuring Xscape, Monica, and Tamar, where both women later admitted there was tension behind the scenes.

The feud resurfaced publicly during their time together on Celebrity Big Brother. Tamar explained she was dealing with personal and professional struggles at the time and felt Kandi had become too involved in her business. Kandi, on the other hand, maintained that Tamar misinterpreted the group’s actions and denied intentionally mistreating her.

Since then, the two have continued exchanging public jabs over the years, leaving fans wondering whether the relationship could ever truly be repaired.

Judging by Sunday’s viral photo-op, social media believes there may still be some unfinished business.

The clip has since spread across social platforms, with fans debating whether the moment was simply awkward—or proof that old wounds still haven’t healed.