Beenie Man, Serani, Rupee and Tina to Rock Funk Flex Winter Fest 2026

Caribbean music takes center stage in Brooklyn as Jamaican dancehall royalty, soca favorites, and Caribbean-rooted performers join Mary J. Blige, French Montana, and Funkmaster Flex for a year-end celebration.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Brooklyn is preparing for a major Caribbean musical takeover as Jamaican dancehall icon Beenie Man, reggae-dancehall hitmaker Serani, and Barbadian soca star Rupee join the star-studded lineup for Funk Flex Winter Fest 2026, scheduled for Wednesday, December 30, at the Barclays Center.

The concert, which runs from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., brings together hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, and soca in one of New York City's most prominent entertainment venues. With Mary J. Blige and French Montana among the headliners, the event promises a celebration of the musical cultures that have helped define New York's sound for decades.

For Caribbean music fans, however, the presence of Beenie Man, Serani, and Rupee is particularly significant. Their inclusion reflects the enduring influence of Caribbean music on New York's entertainment landscape, especially in Brooklyn, where generations of Caribbean immigrants have helped shape the borough's cultural identity.

Beenie Man Brings Dancehall Royalty to Brooklyn

Few performers embody the international evolution of dancehall quite like Beenie Man.

Known worldwide as the King of the Dancehall, the Grammy Award-winning Jamaican entertainer has spent decades carrying the genre from Kingston's dancehall sessions to major international stages.

With an extensive catalog that includes classics such as "Who Am I (Sim Simma)," "Girls Dem Sugar," "Romie," and "Dude," Beenie Man remains one of the genre's most recognizable performers.

His appearance at Winter Fest offers audiences an opportunity to experience an artist whose career helped establish dancehall as a major force in international popular music.

Beenie Man's crossover success also represents an important chapter in the relationship between Jamaican music and American hip-hop. His collaborations with international artists, combined with his unmistakable Jamaican delivery, helped introduce dancehall to audiences far beyond the Caribbean.

In Brooklyn, where Jamaican culture is deeply embedded in the borough's musical identity, his performance is likely to resonate with longtime dancehall fans and younger listeners discovering his catalog.

Serani: The Jamaican Hitmaker Who Helped Shape a Dancehall Era

For fans who came of age during dancehall's international expansion in the 2000s, Serani represents a defining sound.

The Jamaican singer, songwriter, and producer became internationally recognized through hits including "No Games" and "She Loves Me," blending dancehall rhythms with melodic R&B influences.

His work as part of Jamaica's influential Daseca production collective also contributed to the sound of a generation of dancehall recordings.

Serani's ability to move between production, songwriting, and performance makes him an important figure in the genre's evolution.

While Beenie Man represents dancehall's established international legacy, Serani's music recalls a period when Jamaican artists and producers were increasingly shaping the sound of urban radio, clubs, and crossover charts.

His appearance at Funk Flex Winter Fest is particularly fitting given the event's combination of Caribbean music, hip-hop, and R&B.

Songs such as "No Games" remain familiar to Caribbean partygoers and diaspora audiences, making Serani a natural addition to a Brooklyn concert celebrating musical connections across cultures.

Rupee Brings Barbados and Soca Into the Spotlight

Dancehall will not be the only Caribbean genre represented at Winter Fest.

Rupee, the Barbadian entertainer best known internationally for his infectious hit "Tempted to Touch," brings soca's energy to the lineup.

Released during the early 2000s, "Tempted to Touch" became a defining crossover record, introducing countless international listeners to the infectious rhythms associated with Caribbean carnival culture.

The song's enduring popularity at parties, festivals, and Caribbean celebrations demonstrates soca's ability to transcend geographic boundaries.

Rupee's inclusion is especially noteworthy because major American concerts featuring hip-hop and R&B performers do not always provide comparable visibility for soca artists.

His performance creates an opportunity for Barbadian musical culture to share the spotlight with Jamaica's dancehall tradition.

For Caribbean audiences, seeing both genres represented on the same stage is a reminder that the region's musical identity extends beyond any single island or sound.

Tina (HoodCelebrityy): Jamaica's Dancehall Influence Meets New York Hip-Hop

Another notable name on the lineup is Tina, formerly known as HoodCelebrityy, the Jamaican-born artist who gained widespread recognition with her breakout single "Walking Trophy."

Raised in the Bronx after moving from Jamaica, Tina represents a generation of Caribbean-born entertainers whose music reflects the intersection of Jamaican dancehall and New York hip-hop culture. Her sound combines Caribbean vocal influences, contemporary urban production, and an unmistakable New York attitude.

Unlike performers whose careers developed primarily within Jamaica's music industry, Tina emerged through the Caribbean-American entertainment ecosystem, where dancehall, hip-hop, and R&B frequently overlap.

Her inclusion adds another dimension to the Caribbean presence at Winter Fest, demonstrating how artists with roots in the islands continue to reshape American popular music.

Brooklyn's Caribbean Connection Runs Deeper Than the Lineup

The choice of Brooklyn as the setting for Winter Fest carries cultural significance.

Neighborhoods such as Flatbush, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, and Canarsie have long been home to vibrant Jamaican, Trinidadian, Barbadian, Haitian, and other Caribbean communities.

Their influence can be heard in the borough's sound systems, street festivals, nightlife, restaurants, and music scenes.

Brooklyn's Caribbean-American Day Carnival, commonly associated with the annual Labor Day celebrations along Eastern Parkway, remains one of the most visible expressions of that cultural presence.

But the relationship between Caribbean music and New York extends far beyond carnival.

Jamaican sound-system culture helped influence the development of hip-hop in the Bronx, while dancehall, reggae, and soca have remained central to New York's club and party culture.

For decades, Caribbean performers have shared audiences, producers, DJs, and musical influences with American hip-hop and R&B artists.

Funk Flex Winter Fest brings those relationships into focus by placing Caribbean entertainers alongside some of the most recognizable names in American urban music.

Mary J. Blige, French Montana and a Star-Studded Lineup

Beyond the Caribbean performers, Winter Fest features an extensive roster of established stars and emerging talent.

R&B icon Mary J. Blige brings decades of influential music, while rapper French Montana adds his catalog of hip-hop hits to the evening.

The announced lineup also includes Honey BxBY, DreamDoll, Ron Browz, BreAnnie, Christion D'Or, and Kocky Ka.

Additional performers listed for the event include Nems, Bay Swag, and iAmJDymonds.

The event will be hosted by Deja Vu, with Funkmaster Flex leading the DJ entertainment.

Additional DJs scheduled to appear include Bobby Trends, DJ Spazo, DJ Clo, and DJ Triple Threat.

The combination of veteran performers, rising artists, and prominent DJs positions Winter Fest as a celebration of several generations of New York and Caribbean-influenced music.

Why This Concert Matters for Caribbean Music

For Caribbean entertainers, appearances at major American venues offer more than another performance opportunity.

They provide access to audiences who may be familiar with Caribbean-influenced music without necessarily knowing the artists and traditions behind it.

Dancehall has influenced international pop, hip-hop, and R&B for decades, while soca continues to build audiences through carnival celebrations and diaspora communities around the world.

Yet Caribbean genres are not always given equal visibility on mainstream concert lineups.

The inclusion of Beenie Man, Serani, Rupee, and Tina at Winter Fest illustrates how Caribbean music continues to occupy an important place within New York's broader entertainment culture.

It also brings together different chapters of Caribbean musical history: Beenie Man's dancehall legacy, Serani's melodic crossover era, Rupee's international soca success, and Tina's Caribbean-American approach.

Each artist represents a different route through which Caribbean music has reached international audiences.

Together, they offer a snapshot of the region's lasting influence.

Funk Flex Winter Fest 2026: Date, Venue and Tickets

Event: Funk Flex Winter Fest 2026

Date: Wednesday, December 30, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Caribbean performers: Beenie Man, Serani, Rupee, and Tina (HoodCelebrityy)

Featured artists: Mary J. Blige, French Montana, Honey BxBY, DreamDoll, Ron Browz, and additional performers.

Host: Deja Vu

Featured DJs: Funkmaster Flex, Bobby Trends, DJ Spazo, DJ Clo, and DJ Triple Threat

Tickets: Available through Ticketmaster. Prices and availability may vary.

As Brooklyn prepares to close out 2026, Funk Flex Winter Fest promises an evening that brings together the musical traditions of New York and the Caribbean.

For fans of dancehall and soca, the opportunity to see Beenie Man, Serani, and Rupee perform as part of a major year-end concert is a compelling reason to mark December 30 on the calendar.

And for Caribbean music more broadly, the event serves as another reminder that the rhythms born in the islands remain an essential part of the soundtrack of New York City.

Caribbean EMagazine will continue to follow major Caribbean entertainment events and performances across the diaspora.