Tumbao Marks Four Years as One of Miami’s Hottest Parties

For years, Tumbao has become one of the go-to parties for those in Miami who love reggaeton, perreo, and a little bit of the other genres like baile funk, dancehall, Jersey club, and more.

The project is the brainchild of Albert Piedrahita, better known by his DJ name, LittleRok. The 34-year-old head of the Hi Frequency Agency started the party to give Miami something it needed post-COVID — a little bit of perreo but also a safe space where Latin music could evolve beyond the mainstream.

“Tumbao was born out of necessity,” Piedrahita tells New Times. “In Miami, there’s always going to be reggaeton, salsa, dembow — that’s part of the city’s DNA. But I felt like something alternative was missing. That’s where Tumbao came in. Four years later, seeing how it’s grown — in Miami, in other cities, in Latin America — it’s a blessing. Sponsorships, producers, media attention… it feels like a machine now. The natural progression is evolution, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

From its first edition at 1-800-Lucky in Wynwood, Tumbao carved out a different lane for Miami nightlife. Where South Beach clubs pushed bottle service and dress codes, Tumbao’s currency was sweat, rhythm, and community. The crowd wasn’t there to pose for photos but to dance until morning, moving between dembow riddims, salsa horns, and Jersey club breaks without missing a step.

Last year’s anniversary at Skatebird cemented the party’s status, but Piedrahita knew he couldn’t repeat himself. “I didn’t want to do Skatebird three years in a row. We’re always looking for something fresh,” he explains. “The Underline had never hosted a proper party before — we’re actually the first to activate that space this way. Around the same time, Adidas approached me about the anniversary, so it all aligned perfectly. The light bulb went off. Now here I am, deep in permits, working with the city, coordinating 15 DJs, local vendors, food, everything.”

The Underline, a relatively new urban trail and cultural space running under the Metrorail, offers Tumbao its biggest canvas yet. Right across from local nightlife staple Blackbird, the anniversary event will stretch from a daytime block party into an after-hours marathon, with Blackbird hosting from midnight until 5 a.m. “It’s going to be a block party vibe, full production, custom sound and lighting,” Piedrahita says. “We’re not shy about investing in quality production.”

And then there are the DJs. While past editions featured international selectors from Amsterdam, L.A., Chicago, and New York, this year Albert wanted to double down on homegrown talent. “This year, I was very intentional about keeping it true to Miami,” he says. “Except for our headliner, Kittysayword, everyone’s local.” Sets from names like Saturnsarii and Bozito, alongside a deep roster of Miami favorites, will showcase the city’s musical heartbeat in all its variety.

The Adidas sponsorship elevates the occasion with a limited-edition custom jersey. “Every year we do a giveaway with Adidas,” he says. “This year, we leveled up and made a custom Tumbao x Adidas jersey. It’ll be customizable at the event — you can add your country’s flag, your name, or even the Miami-Dade County flag if you’re not Latino. Only 75 will be available.”

That Miami-Dade County flag, with its teal and green gradients, even inspired the party’s flyer. “It looks like Florida’s, but with teal and green, plus an insignia with a ship and even a nuclear logo at the bottom. It’s wild,” Piedrahita laughs.

The food vendors reflect that same sense of local pride. Kendall institution Tacos & Tattoos, founded by Piedrahita’s old friend Jonathan Cruz, will anchor the offerings, alongside Cholo’s Burger. “Jonathan built Tacos & Tattoos into an incubator for DJs and live music,” Piedrahita says. “And Kendall is as Miami as it gets. Both our food vendors are Latino-owned and local. We’ll also have a tattoo pop-up with flash pieces inspired by Miami and Latin culture. It’s about driving home that being Hispanic is beautiful — especially now, when all eyes are on us politically. It’s important to celebrate our culture.”

Music remains the core, but Tumbao thrives on variety. “We play everything: baile funk, afrobeats, dancehall, Jersey club, Baltimore club, salsa, amapiano, house. The beauty is blending global club sounds while keeping that Latin core.”

Getting here hasn’t been easy. Pulling permits and coordinating logistics for a city-backed space required patience. “A real learning experience,” he admits. “Not easy, but the Underline team and the city have helped. It makes it all more worthwhile. Shoutout to Blackbird too — they’re handling bar infrastructure and hosting the afterparty from midnight to 5 a.m.”

Still, for Piedrahita, accessibility remains at the heart of it all. “It’s always been important to me to keep Tumbao accessible,” he says. “Miami can be expensive, but we wanted to create a space where anyone could come vibe, no matter what’s in their pocket.”

That accessibility is tied to a deeper mission: teaching. “Part of why I do this is to show the younger kids how it’s done,” he says. “I didn’t have anyone teaching me how to throw parties at this scale — I had to figure it out. So if they can learn from me and do it better, that’s the point.”

For Piedrahita, the success of Tumbao is not just about its survival but about what it represents. “Be outside, be a sponge, pay attention to what’s missing. Fill a void. Build from authenticity. Don’t force it, don’t oversell it. Let the product speak for itself. Be real, be consistent, and have a good product.”

He’s already thinking ahead. “I’d love to see Tumbao at III Points,” he says. “There needs to be more Latino presence at that festival. We’d bring our own stage. Otherwise, I want to keep finding out-of-the-box locations. The Olympic Theater, for example, could be amazing.”

And if he could book any DJ in the world to close a Tumbao stage? His answer comes quickly: “DJ Playero. The OG. I’ve DJed with him before, and he’s the real deal — humble, masterful, with all the deep cuts. That would be legendary.”

Four years in, Tumbao has grown from a local experiment into one of Miami’s defining parties. At its heart, though, it’s still about the same thing: music, movement, and community. For Piedrahita, that’s the real legacy. “It’s about showing what Miami can do. This isn’t just about music — it’s about community, about giving people a place where they feel represented.”

Tumbao 4th Year Anniversary. 5 p.m. Saturday, October 4; The Underline Inter Stage, SW 8th St. & SW 1st Ave., Miami; theunderline.org. Free with RSVP.