BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — New Yorkers sitting on the L train got a seat at the Thanksgiving table with one of the city’s most viral and newly beloved traditions.
For the sixth year in a row, Brooklyn-born rapper Dupree G.O.D celebrated Thanksgiving by bringing a plate of turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese, and more right into the hands of New Yorkers on board the L train.
(Credit: Christopher Dupree)
“We wanted to create something that brought joy to people during the holidays—especially those who may not have a family to go to or the means to enjoy Thanksgiving,” Dupree told PIX11 in an interview on Thursday.
Dupree founded the subway holiday tradition with comedian and fellow New Yorker Joe Show. The pair developed the idea with the desire to serve a “wide mix of people,” ranging from the “fortunate to the less fortunate,” Dupree said.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
(Credit: Christopher Dupree)
They teamed up with fellow content creators and New York locals Daniel Jean and Chef Bea to fill train cars with food for the full L train ride, starting at Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy in Brooklyn and going all the way to Eighth Avenue in Manhattan.
“Joe Show started cooking at 4 a.m. and didn’t stop until around 2 p.m.,” Dupree said of this year’s feast. “Things definitely got expensive, but we love doing it because the most important part is seeing the faces of the people we’re able to bring holiday joy to.”
Hailing from East New York, Dupree said he developed a sense of community early in life from the neighborhood he grew up in, and it’s a mindset he’s continued to carry with him over the years.
“It’s aggressive and unforgiving, but it also has a deep sense of kindness and community. East New York forces you to adapt, so I carry those same traits in life and in my creativity.”
Bringing that sense of community to one of the most vital parts of New York City’s communities, the subway, has brought smiles to both the riders who get a bite and social media users who share the videos online. One user praised the viral stunt as “the beauty of humanity and community,” while another wrote, “kindness. Love my city.”
(Credit: Christopher Dupree)
That reaction, both in the subways and online, has inspired Dupree and dozens of volunteers alongside him to keep the L train Thanksgiving tradition going for years to come.
“I get sad and depressed around this time of year because I don’t have a big family. But when we throw this event, I’m reminded that NYC is our family,” Dupree said. “There’s real comfort in knowing we can help someone who might be less fortunate than us.”
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.