Beenie Man: Tiny Desk Concert

Details

Description

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.

Bobby Carter | June 20, 2025
Before he stepped behind the Tiny Desk, Beenie Man contemplated our office space. The man born Moses Anthony Davis is accustomed to performing at maximum velocity, touching every part of a big stage … and here were but a few square feet for him to move. Nevertheless, the king of dancehall brings Kingston to Washington, D.C.

As an exemplar of longevity, he pauses to remind us just how long he’s been at it: “I’ve been doing music since the age of 5. I did my first single at the age of 7. Now I’m 50-something and I’m doing the same thing.” Just in time for our Black Music Month anniversary theme, Beenie Man’s most commercially successful album, Art and Life, turns 25. (And, not for nothing, his work visa was reinstated after a 10-year ban, allowing him to perform again in the United States.) The real dancehall fans were front and center with flags in tow, easing any doubts that Beenie Man had as he powered through a decades-spanning set of club classics.

SET LIST
“Who Am I”
“Romie”
“Girls Dem Sugar”
“Toy Friend”
“Miss L.A.P.”
“Let Him Go”
“Dude”
“King of the Dancehall”
“Rum & RedBull”

MUSICIANS
Beenie Man: vocals
Nigel Staff: keys, music director
Brinton Haughton Jr.: keys
Paul Green: guitar
Donovan Belnavis: bass
Ricardo Davis: drums
Ovasha: background vocals
Ke Star: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel
Audio Engineer: Josh Newell
Production Assistants: Ashley Pointer, Dora Levite
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

#tinydesk #nprmusic #beenieman

Support for NPR Music comes from Capital One. Proud supporters of NPR Music and the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest. What's in your wallet? Learn more at Capital One dot com.