Rock The City Community Music & Culture Showcase,

Mustapha Alibocas

Growing up, I always wanted to promote Bahamian music, art, and culture on the world stage.

My name is Mustapha Alibocas. I attended St. John's College for both primary and high school, and later enrolled at Florida Air Academy. I grew up in a household full of music, thanks to my parents, Paul and Tanya Hanna, who played jazz. On my mother's side, everyone played an instrument—so there was no escaping music.

During my school years, I was involved in a variety of sports and clubs. I ran long-distance track and swam with the Dolphins Swimming Club. On weekends, I took art classes with Long Branch Art, studied piano with both my grandfather Sidney Woods and my father Paul Hanna, and attended the FINCO Summer Art Workshop. As a teen, I was featured in monthly art shows at SuperClubs Breezes, and I was even commissioned by Sandals Royal Bahamian, the British Colonial Hilton Hotel, and a few gift shops on Bay Street.

I went on to attend the Savannah College of Art & Design, and that’s where I got my start in event promotions. My first event was bringing my cousin, a DJ, to one of our Caribbean School Association parties. Later, a group of Bahamians and Africans—under the name BA Lions—started hosting our own events. Our first party was such a success that club promoters began inviting us to host events at their venues.

After graduating, I teamed up with my younger brother, Troika Hanna, to organize events in Nashville, Tennessee. We worked on shows featuring artists like Sosa Man, Leah and Anku Eneas.

At the same time, I was producing an entertainment newspaper called MaximumBass. Through it, we sponsored and organized multiple promotions in Nassau and abroad. We launched programs and competitions in schools and supported a show in Halifax, Canada, featuring Sosa Man and rake-n-scrape artist Avvy.

When I moved to New York, I got involved with Beryl Edgecombe of the Bahamian American Cultural Society. We hosted events featuring Bahamian legends such as KB, Elon Moxey, Mitzi and Fontella Chipman, and the late Johnny Kemp.

Most recently, earlier this year, we hosted a Spring Art Show. In May, I partnered with the Bahamian American Heritage Alliance for an event that showcased artists like Jonny Cake, Julien Believe, Stileet, DJ D Rell and DJ K Dawg.

Outside of event promotion, I stay active in community service. You can often find me on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn giving out free food. I've helped organize several food distribution events, along with free haircuts for kids and the unemployed.

I truly appreciate everyone who’s supported the journey so far. I'm looking forward to continuing this mission—giving Bahamians a platform to share their talent with the world.