After a successful socially-distanced scavenger hunt in 2021, Funky Uptown Krewe is excited to return to the St. Charles streetcar line for 2022 with DJ Mannie Fresh and this year’s theme, Bounce Back, NOLA!  Funky Uptown Krewe was founded to encourage more revelers to flock to the St. Charles streetcar line on Twelfth Night and provide a boost to local businesses. The krewe will once again kick off the Carnival season on Twelfth Night, this time as one of the first Mardi Gras parades to roll in nearly two years.

Keeping with tradition, Funky Uptown Krewe’s ride will feature the incredible drum patterns of DJ Mannie Fresh, with Fresh performing a full DJ set aboard a St. Charles Avenue streetcar. The krewe’s signature throws include hand-decorated, bedazzled vinyl records as well as cups and koozies. Additionally, as part of  its Bounce Back theme, the Krewe will donate a portion of each member’s dues to the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, which provides medical and social services to musicians, performing artists, cultural workers and tradition bearers in New Orleans.

Funky Uptown Krewe departs Bourée, 1510 S. Carrollton, at 7:05 p.m. on January 6. The streetcar route follows St. Charles Avenue to Canal Street and returns uptown before finishing its ride at Fat Harry’s at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Mannie Fresh, is a DJ, record producer, and rapper. He’s best known for his productions on Cash Money Records releases, as well being half of the hip hop duo the Big Tymers alongside label co-founder Birdman. He produced all or most of the songs on 17 multi-platinum, platinum or gold albums for Cash Money from 1998 to 2004 before leaving the label. He was also the label’s only in-house producer when the company started in 1991-92. Born and raised in the Seventh Ward, Fresh collaborated with Lil Wayne and Juvenile on the hit 1999 song “Back That Thang Up,” which Juvenile and Fresh rebooted this summer as “Vax That Thang Up.”