Jersey Jam is back

By Dan auBrey

It is a hot day and Trenton-based artist Leon Rainbow is feeling the heat — especially the internal heat connected to preparing for the upcoming August 19 Jersey Fresh Jam.

That’s the annual urban celebration of art, music, and dance he and members of the Vicious Crew art group first put together 18 years ago.

Traditionally held in August, the event hosted by the Trenton-based TerraCycle is touted as New Jersey’s premier hip hop event.

It is also the freshest and hippest art event in the region.

And while not for everyone, it offers a big welcome for the community to connect with street “writers” — aka graffiti artists — and see them in action.

It also offers Rainbow a big task, especially on this hot day at the Terracycle headquarters on New York Avenue where the pressure is on.

“There’s construction,” says the 40-something artist of Native American ancestry standing in one of the several shipping areas of what was once a newspaper distribution site.

He says the temporarily removed doors served as “canvases” for the scores of artists who show up for the one-day of nonstop painting.

“We’re hoping in the first week of August to prime the walls and straighten up the yard,” he says.

He then adds that if that doesn’t happen, they’ll just figure something out.

Rainbow’s “we” translates into the volunteers and regular supporters from the arts community and TerraCycle, the internationally known company the creates commercial products through recycling trash and waste materials.

“DJ Just Ahmad and MC Alberto Rodriquez curate the music and make sure equipment is set up,” says Rainbow about the two known Trenton music masters.

“We have Ricky Camilo Ricardo. He takes

Trenton summer sounds

TheCity of Trenton’s Summer Concert Series continues with the following free schedule:

Saturday, August 5, Tempo Alegre, Agabati Square, Roebling and Whittaker avenues, 5 to 7 p.m.

Friday, August 11, The Connection, Trent House, Market Street and William Trent Place, 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday, August 18, Showtyme & DA Traffic, Cycle Kings, 415 Calhoun care of the break dancing aspect

“Me and MEK (Dave MEK Klama) curate the walls. Other stuff I work on is getting permits, sponsors, and vendors. (TerraCycle’s) Riley Smith is helping to organize. We all work together and have different artists coming in — from California, D.C., New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia.”

Rainbow says the $5,000 budget comes from a variety of supporters. In addition to the annual commitment from TerraCycle, funds come from I Am Trenton, Capital Health, Princeton Hydro, Adobe express, and Content Trenton.

“Couldn’t do it without the local support,” says Rainbow, who says the most stressful part of the operations is getting the permits and sponsorship.

Street, 6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, August 19, Meg Hanson Group, Trent Center (Senior Building), 411-547 Greenwood Ave, 5 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, August 26, Robert Ruffis Experience, Cadwalader park at Parkside and West State Street, 6 to 8 p.m. Presented by the City of Trenton in partnership with Mercer County Park Commission. For more information visit www.trentonnj.org/rec or call 609-989-3369.

“The easiest part is finding artists who want to paint. But that is difficult because we only have so much space — so we have to say no, even though they’re good. We can only have so many people paint.”

Regarding the artist recruiting process, Rainbow says he and MEK keep an eye out while they’re active in their network.

“I like to have people who are active. There are a lot of people who are painting on a regular basis and are pushing the boundaries of what the art is.”

He also likes a sense of new traditions, especially since “graffiti” as it is known

See JAM, page 6

Community

Christine Storie (Ext. 115) ADMINISTRATIVE

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