Rock The City Showcases Bahamian Culture in New York

Slattery’s Midtown Pub transformed into a vibrant celebration of Bahamian culture this past Saturday as Rock The City and Maximum Bass teamed up with the Bahamian American Heritage Alliance to host Bahamians of the Tri-State Mixer. The event brought together islanders and NYC locals alike for a high-energy evening filled with music, food, and unity—offering a taste of The Bahamas right in the heart of Manhattan.

The evening kicked off with complimentary Bahamian favorites—guava duff and conch fritters—setting the tone for a night of authentic island flavor. As the crowd filled the room waving Bahamian flags and repping 242 pride, the stage came alive with performances by three artists: Julien Believe, Jonny Cake, and the legendary Stileet.

Julien Believe kicked off the musical celebration at 7:30 p.m. with fan favorites like “Live and Wine,” “She Got That Junkanoo,” and “Caribbean Slide.” The crowd immediately locked in, dancing and chanting “242” with island pride. Julien then brought out Jonny Cake to perform their hit single “Whip Whap”, igniting the audience with synchronized dance moves and singing the chorus word-for-word.

Fresh off winning three Elevation Awards this year, Jonny Cake brought his own fire to the stage with electrifying performances of “Get Em Ricky” and “Dead Drunk.” His infectious energy had the ladies wining and the whole venue waving their flags in celebration.

Then came the headliner—the one and only Stileet, known across the islands as “Mr. 242” and “The Energy God.” Draped in the Bahamian Coat of Arms and waving a massive flag, Stileet opened with his classic “We Rakin and We Scrapin,” getting the crowd stomping, mashing the roach, and doing the conch style. He kept the hype going with crowd favorites “Pie” and “Bahamas is Big Ting,” proving once again why he’s a cultural icon.

Though the official end time was 9 p.m., the vibes were too strong to stop—guests danced and celebrated until nearly 10:30 p.m., fueled by back-to-back sets from DJ D Rell and DJ K Dawg. The delicious food, provided by The Duff Guy, added the final touch to a night that blended homegrown flavor with big city energy.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who came out to support, as well as to our amazing sponsors—Bahamas Air, JS Johnson, The Inspire Foundation, Rock The City, and many others who made this cultural celebration possible.

To relive the night, check out videos and pictures on our website www.rockthecity.net. There, you can also grab the latest issue of our magazine and stay updated on upcoming events throughout the year as we continue to bring Bahamian culture to the city that never sleeps.

Rock The City is also working to distribute Rake n Scrape music into local NYC record stores. If you’re an artist with Bahamian music on vinyl and want to see it on shelves in the tri-state area, contact us at info@rockthecity.net.