It’s been a minute since I’ve written a concert review but when the cast was announced for the Big Bad BBQ Fete, I knew I was going to attend so I bought my tickets early. Expectedly, I was able to secure media access and was able to view this event from the lens of an attendee, as well as a respected observer.
July 4th, 2019 was a historic day as Dancehall, Soca and Afrobeats lovers converged together in the south of Brooklyn, for Jay Upscale’s second annual “Big Bad Barbeque” Food and Music event. Originally held at the embattled Brooklyn Mirage, this year’s #BigBadBBQ2019 went the opposite direction and found refuge at the Coney Island Arts Wall.
NY Caribbean Soca & Reggae Fetes & Events Will Never Be The Same
With gates publicized to be open at 2pm, I got there around 6:30pm – for many reasons. Firstly, it was the hottest day of summer and it was the fourth of July, in Coney Island! Shit was about to be bananas and the way my mental health is set up…I know my triggers and my limits. I hate crowds, it was hotter than Satan’s balls and everyone and their mama (who isn’t of Caribbean descent) were all headed to what they consider to be a beach.
Arriving in time to walk right into the venue, the crowd had ballooned from what I saw earlier on Instagram. Lines for food were crazy, the bars were crowded but well-staffed and people were enjoying themselves to the sound of DJ Kevin Crown.
Maybe it was just the chaotic energy of the day, very busy locale or the actual venue, but things seemed a bit unsettling for me. It wasn’t my first time at Coney Island Art Walls, as I had previously attended a Caesar’s Army “Mai Tai” event here. However, there was definitely a difference in operations, décor, and vibe.
At 7:30pm, DJ Young Chow had touched the set, while Kevin Crown rocked the mic, hyping the tight crowd to the upcoming festivities. Did I mention it was the hottest day of the summer thus far? With the temperature hitting 90 degrees, the ocean breeze brought intermittent solace for those who wore more clothes than needed. Soca plus heat times liquor equals a combustible mix!
The DJs made a conscious effort to avoid playing music from the artists of the night. Attendees were entertained by costumed models, including NYC-based dancer and Instagram sensation, Royal G, whose sultry waistline movements, head-stand dancing and acrobatic splits were no match for the sexiness of her black fishnets, and green, red and yellow ensemble. But it was when the second Nigerian female attendee got on stage to bring some motherland dance vibes, that the heat of the event turned up a few notches! The air was getting cooler, the vibes nice and the people ever ready.
Jamaican superstar Hood Celebrityy was the first to hit the stage at 8pm, where #BigBadBBQ2019 was also billed as the Bronx-native’s official birthday bash. Born Tina Pinnock on July 5th, the “Walking Trophy” star shared the stage with her friend, Soca songstress, Nessa Preppy, for their remix of Preppy’s hit song, “Issa Snack.” From dancing costumed girls to now girl-on-girl action between these two Caribbean stars – the stage antics were gearing up. Hood Celebrityy concluded her set with her international smash single, “Walking Trophy,” which peaked at #22 on Billboard’s R&B / Hip Hop Airplay Chart and was surprisingly presented with a candlelit cake by her mother, in celebration of her 27th birthday.
“Pretty gyal nah argue with broke gal” – Hood Celebrityy
Afrobeats lovers went crazy at 8:15 pm when Atlanta-born Naija artiste – Davido touched the stage. Dressed in his signature silk shirt look with black shorts and Air Force ones, Nigeria’s reportedly richest artiste serenaded the crowd to his biggest songs including “Assurance” and “FIA.” His performance of “2AM,” featured an unexpected guest appearance by NYC-based rapper, Cassanova (minus Torey Lanez). The 5ft 6″ Afrobeats star even had the crowd singing an acapella version of mega-hit “If” during the sunset. Within 10 concise minutes, Davido had hit the stage, rocked the crowd and closed off his performance with one of my favorite singles, “Fall.”
At 8:28pm, Busy Signal paid salutations to Brooklyn before greeting the crowd with his legendary dancehall hit, “Step Out,” followed by “Jump,” “Bumaye,” “Nah Go Jail Again” and “Bedroom Bully.” Not sure if his DJ wasn’t having a good night or if there were technical difficulties causing slight glitches, nonetheless, Busy Signal moved through his setlist with ease. Never missing a beat, the dancehall veteran brought his high energy-EDM fused hits and flowed through more classic bashment anthems to the crowd’s delight.
At 8:42pm, the sun was no longer in view as the clear blue sky was emblazoned with streaks of orange, with Mr. Reanno Gordon still on stage, giving the crowd reggae classic hits like “One More Night,” “Sweet Love” “Missing You,” and new singles like his ode to Brooklyn, “Dollar Van” and bad-man favorite, “Stay So” off his upcoming fifth album. Busy ended his set with “Jamaica Love,” his remake of German group Alphaville’s 1984’s mammoth hit and forever-sampled single, “Forever Young.” Busy Signal’s fifth album, “Parts of the Puzzle” will be released on VP Records this September.
“The whole Turf roll out, we no fear nothing ’cause nuff of dem stay so.” – Busy Signal
The event’s highlighted performances flowed smoothly, from artiste to artiste. Camera lights had taken residence in the skyline as Bunji Garlin hit the stage at 9pm. This was the Soca King’s second year headlining Jay Upscale’s Big Bad BBQ and he closed off the night in excellence.
Entering to his 2019 collaborative hit “Famalay” (which originally features Machel Montano and Skinny Fabulous), the ViKING ran through his 30-minute setlist effortlessly, which included “Differentology,” “Jumbo Jet,” “So & So.” He took it back to his Rapso roots with classic selections “Clear De Way,” “Generals” then brought it back to the present with “Bacchanal and Water,” “Red Light District” and ended the night with the single that helped birth the name of the event – “Big Bad Soca!”
But the highlight of Bunji’s performance often happens during his freestyle set. Freestyling on Runtown’s Mad Over You 2017 riddim, Bunji got into politics in the most palatable way his fans can readily and attentively receive.
Tying in social commentary and local Brooklyn politics, Bunji extemporaneously addressed the Caribbean and African crowd and even specifically addressed Jay Upscale. Speaking directly to Brooklyn’s local promoters, one of Soca’s foremost Caribbean musical ambassadors put the onus on the community to reclaim our power as a Caribbean unit and to start back owning our own event spaces in Brooklyn, specifically for Soca events. Not one to shy away from controversial topics, Mr. Alvarez preached on gentrification, unfair complaints of noise pollution and the role we must play in preserving our culture in New York City.
I reached out to ask Jay Upscale if he saw a lack of venues in New York crippling the production of premier Caribbean and Soca events, he responded, “Yes! Theres a lack of legitmate venues that come with all necessary licenses, permits, production, stage, bars, etc. This automatically translates into higher costs to acquire those venues, due to scarcity as you now have to compete with large corporate companies and event producers in other genres, who usually have higher budgets and sponsors.”
And how can promoters maintain a high standard in the industry? Jay added, “You maintain standards by producing epic events when you do get access to these venues, and ensuring that these events are safe and well-organized. This way venues look forward to working with you in the future.”
There is definitely a shift in the party landscape in Brooklyn as long-time venues are no longer in business, bigger venues are no longer accessible or Caribbean events have been black-listed in certain areas, like Sheepshead Bay Marina. We are experiencing a major culture shock as experiences we once had the privilege of enjoying are no longer around or quickly dying. So what can Caribbean people do to bring change in their communities?
Here are my – Jay’s 10 Ways To Keep Caribbean Culture Alive in NYC:
- Vote in local elections.
- Join your local community boards.
- Support Caribbean events, businesses, and brands by buying into their services!
- Create safe spaces for full enjoyment by all.
- Support the events’ bars, while being a responsible drinker and partier.
- Leave your dotish, no-behavior, problematic (always quick to start a fight), can’t hold their liquor friends at home.
- Purchase a ticket to a friend’s event, even if you can’t attend.
- Hold elected officials accountable for creating and maintaining respectful engagement between law enforcement and the local communities and promoting cultural sensitivity training.
- Pool resources for one common goal instead of always working in silos.
- Stop complaining and do something constructive.
Music is a unifying gift for the Caribbean and #BigBadBBQ2019 was able to blend three genres of international music, and its fans, into one space for an unforgettable experience. I’m not sure if it was heat exhaustion or the baptism of Soca and Rum, or possibly the combination of both, however, at 10pm everyone seemed to have had their belly full of a day of fun, food, and music.
Let’s keep supporting the promoters that are really toiling behind the scenes for months and years just to execute an event where we can bask in musical bliss for just a few hours. Big Bad BBQ Fete
Cover photo: Tiesha Pough
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