Planet Brooklyn, a two-day music and entertainment festival, is coming this August with a slate of both free and ticketed musical performances across three entertainment venues in the borough – Barclays Center, Brooklyn Paramount and BAM – on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24.
Stars of soca, dancehall, chutney, zess and afrobeats will align at Planet Brooklyn, with Dominican rapper El Alfa headlining Barclays Center on Aug. 23, joined by FERG, Lil Pump, Fariana, Shelow Shaq and Nfasis. Trinidadian soca recording artist Machel Montano will headline Barclays on Aug. 24, joined by Ayetian, Bunji Garlin, Lady Lava, Problem Child, Ravi B, Skillibeng, Skinny Fabulous and DJ Travis World in a show hosted by Majah Hype.
Brooklyn Paramount will showcase MUTHA – a Live Nation created and produced micro-festival that will be headlined by Afro-Brazilian superstar Ludmilla, and feature a full lineup of BIPOC queer talent, including CupcakKe, Junglepussy and Mykki Blanco on Aug. 23.
BAM will feature a special edition of their BAM Free Music Series over both days. On Aug. 23, the Afro-Cuban jazz singer Daymé Arocena will perform, while Natu Camara, a singer from Guinea, will grace the stage on Aug. 24.
“With Planet Brooklyn, we set out to create a festival that reflects the borough’s incredible diversity—a true mosaic of cultures, sounds and stories," said DeJuan Wilson, chief products and experiences officer at BSE Global, the host of the festival and the holding company that owns Barclays Center and the New York Liberty, among other assets.
In addition to musical performances, Planet Brooklyn will include a free two-day block party in the streets near the three participating venues, designed to connect the festival’s flagship venues with a continuous flow of music,food and culture through the streets of Downtown Brooklyn.
Open both Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, the block party will also feature multiple stages where attendees can enjoy free performances from musical talent including:
- TFA Presents Menasa Sound System, hosted by Anik Khan: Sango, Zeemuffin, Waseel, Priyanka
- Quench Presents: Run P., Epic B, Uproot Andy, Dre Ngozi, Foreigner, NativeSun
- St James Joy x Xanadu Skate Crew: DJ Chill, DJ Jo Vill, Stonie Blue, Mike Nasty, Big Bob (Xanadu)
- Afro-Latino Festival NYC Block Party: Earthruler Sound System, Sounds of Reality, Papi Weli, Tony Touch
- Everyday People Presents: DJ Moma and Friends
- Dos Flakos featuring Mundo Sound System: DJ Guari
"Our goal is to spotlight the artists, creators, and innovators who embody the heartbeat of Brooklyn, while uplifting the local businesses and communities that make it so vibrant," Wilson said. "Building on the momentum of diverse programming at Barclays Center, this festival is another example of how BSE is bringing the culture of Brooklyn to life across multiple mediums and there is nothing else quite like it—Planet Brooklyn is where people can come together to experience Brooklyn’s unmatched creative energy.”
For more information about the festival and tickets, click here.
