102 JAMZ' SuperJam
is an annual summer concert starring some of the hottest artists in hip hop, hosted by Urban Contemporary radio station WJMH (102 JAMZ)/Greensboro, North Carolina. The show has been held at the 20,000+ seat Greensboro Coliseum each year. Since launching the event in 1997, SuperJam has attracted thousands of listeners from North Carolina and southern Virginia, with numerous annual attendees traveling from locations throughout the United States. So far, all 12 SuperJam concerts have been sellout events.
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SUPER JAM TICKETS
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SuperJam performing artists
The
station's debut summer show, SuperJam, took place Friday night,
June 20 1997, at Greensboro Coliseum in front of 20,000 fans and featured
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony,
Junior M.A.F.I.A.,
Lil' Kim,
OutKast,
Lost Boyz,
SWV,
Freak Nasty and others. Successive annual SuperJams have included artists such as
Jay-Z,
Ludacris,
Diddy,
T.I.,
Bow Wow,
Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz,
Fat Joe,
Ja Rule,
Three 6 Mafia,
N.O.R.E.,
Young Jeezy,
LL Cool J,
Ying Yang Twins,
Nas,
Busta Rhymes,
T-Pain,
Big Pun,
Cam'ron,
Slick Rick and
Doug E. Fresh,
Yung Joc,
Dru Hill,
Dem Franchize Boyz,
Jermaine Dupri,
Trina,
Redman,
Petey Pablo,
112,
Trillville,
Elephant Man,
Trick Daddy,
DJ Kool,
Chingy,
Jagged Edge,
Da Brat,
Plies,
The-Dream,
Ray-J,
Shawty Lo,
Crime Mob,
Sheek Louch,
Lloyd and many, many more.
SuperJam logistics
All SuperJam
concerts have taken place on Friday nights in late June and have been held at the
Greensboro Coliseum. Showtime has remained 7:30 PM, throughout. The entire 102 JAMZ airstaff, the 102 JAMZ
Mix Squad and the JAMZ Street Team have actively participated in each event, hosting during the time between acts and
emceeing during Mix Squad intervals. Since SuperJam VII, the 102 JAMZ Dancers, led by Lady C of Sunday night's 11:00 Reggae Jamz show, have performed a
choreographed routine between acts during each SuperJam. The first ten 102 JAMZ SuperJam concerts were numbered consecutively, with the exception of the 1st (simply called SuperJam) and 4th (SuperJam 2000).
SuperJam ticket prices have consistently remained significantly lower than other music concerts, from the beginning. Ticket prices have remained steady at $10, $15, and $25, with some
VIP floor seats at $28.50. As
Program Director, Brian Douglas, explains, "SuperJam is one of the best ways we're able to give back and say thanks to our listeners every year. With concert tickets at $50, $75, $100 or more for good shows, SuperJam has always been about offering more acts for less money. We want every listener to be able to afford a ticket... then, we want every show to be one they'll remember."
102 JAMZ' SuperJam Block Party
Since 1999, each SuperJam concert has been preceded by a 102 JAMZ Block Party, hosted by the station's afternoon
personality (originally Boogie D, now Big Tap Money). These "party before the party" events, first held outside the
coliseum and more recently in the Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion, feature hundreds of ticket upgrades, impromptu performances by the night's talent lineup and live, interactive artist
interviews. SuperJam Block Parties are carried live on 102 JAMZ, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM, to set the stage for the show and prepare the listeners for the concert.
SuperJam background
According to the programming staff, planning for each year's SuperJam begins in
"Jam-Uary" (January). Brian Douglas states that inspiration for the creation of the SuperJam concept arose from two sources... exposure to annual summer concerts put together by a radio station in his native
Florida during his youth (
WAPE,
Jacksonville's Big Ape Conventions and Big Ape Shower of Stars) and 102 JAMZ' experiment with a modified summer concert in 1996. This outdoor event, billed as Busta Brown Bingo, was presented as part of a contest in which featured afternoon
personality Busta Brown
skydived onto a random block in a squared-off area to award a station contestant $10,000. As incentive for others to attend, the station assembled acts to perform, including
Junior M.A.F.I.A. with
Lil' Kim,
112,
Bahamadia and
Nonchalant. Attendance was strong and listeners responded positively to the concept, setting the stage for the original SuperJam one year later.
Annual SuperJam Lineups
SuperJam (1997)
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Lil’ Kim, SWV, OutKast, Freak Nasty, Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Lost Boyz
SuperJam II (1998)
LL Cool J, Big Pun, Dru Hill,
Goodie Mob, Cam'ron,
Total,
Charlie Baltimore and
Sylk-E. Fyne
SuperJam III (1999)
Busta Rhymes, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Trina, 112, Trick Daddy,
JT Money,
Rare Essence,
Sporty Thievz and Jermaine Dupri
SuperJam 2000
Jay-Z, Jagged Edge, Da Brat,
Donell Jones, Bow Wow
SuperJam V (2001)
Ludacris, Ja Rule, Bow Wow, Petey Pablo, DJ Kool, Redman,
Philly’s Most Wanted,
Sunshine Anderson and
Tank
SuperJam VI (2002)
P Diddy and the Family,
Ashanti, Ja Rule, Fat Joe,
Mr. Cheeks, N.O.R.E.,
Nappy Roots, Charlie Baltimore and
Vida
SuperJam VII (2003)
Lil’ Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Nas, Lil’ Kim,
Bone Crusher and
Wayne Wonder
SuperJam VIII (2004)
Ying Yang Twins, Chingy,
Petey Pablo,
J-Kwon, Trillville, Elephant Man and
Crime Family
SuperJam IX (2005)
T. I., Ying Yang Twins, Trillville,
Boyz n da Hood and Young Jeezy
SuperJam X (2006)
SuperJam X took place Friday night,
June 30th,
2006 and featured T. I., Three 6 Mafia, Dem Franchize Boyz,
Remy Ma, T-Pain, Yung Joc and
Paul Wall. For the station's tenth anniversary, the station gave away $10,000 to a single winner in attendance at the show. Sections were narrowed to rows and finally to a single seat... holding the winner of $10,000. On stage activity was non-stop, with air personality/audience interaction, Mix Squad sets, the 102 JAMZ Dancers, etc.
SuperJam (2007)
The 11th annual SuperJam concert took place Friday night,
June 29 2007 and featured Young Jeezy,
Yung Joc, Crime Mob, Lloyd,
DJ Unk,
M.I.M.S.,
Rich Boy, and
Omarion. The show proceeded without downtime between acts, talent/audience interplay, the 102 JAMZ Mix Squad, the JAMZ Dancers, plus giveaways of a set of rims, cash and SuperJam shirts bridging the short gaps between the acts.
SuperJam (2008)
Tickets for the 12th annual SuperJam went on sale Friday,
May 16th,
2008, with the show date announced as Friday night
June 27th. On Friday,
May 31st,
Plies visited 102 JAMZ to announce that he would be headlining SuperJam. He also announced that The-Dream would star at the show and promised more to come. On subsequent Mondays, 102 JAMZ teased the announcement of additional acts to be named on the following Fridays, with advance announcements sent by email to 102 JAMZ Hard Hittaz (102JAMZ.com club members). The announced lineup featured Plies, The-Dream, Shawty Lo, Sheek Louch, Ray J,
Flo Rida and
2 Pistols. Live at SuperJam, 102 JAMZ' Waleed Coyote introduced a surprise guest, Three Six Mafia.
SuperJam (2009)
Tickets for the 13th annual SuperJam went on sale Friday,
May 15 at 10 AM. The concert was held Friday,
June 19th,
2009. 102 JAMZ sent an email to 102 JAMZ Hard Hittaz on
Memorial Day (Monday,
May 25th) listing some of the acts scheduled to perform. Tuesday,
May 26th at 5:00 PM, 102 JAMZ made the same announcement on-air. The three acts listed to appear at 2009's SuperJam were listed as Young Jeezy,
Gucci Mane and
F. L. Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz). On Monday,
June 1st, another email was sent, listing the other four acts scheduled to perform. They included
Rick Ross,
Soulja Boy Tell 'Em,
Yung L.A. and
Lil' Ru. The complete 2009 lineup featured Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, F. L. Y. (Fast Life Yungstaz), Yung L.A. and Lil' Ru. In addition, special surprise guests
Fabolous and Ricco Barrino joined the show. SuperJam 2009 sold out the weekend before the show.
References