Summer Jam is the annual hip-hop fest held in East Rutherford, New Jersey and
sponsored by New York based radio station Hot 97FM. Normally held in June,
the concert features the most popular acts that hip-hop and R&B have to offer
in a particular year. The hip-hop summer festival format was
originally pioneered and popularized by San Francisco radio station KMEL with
their large-scale Summer Jam concerts from 1987 through the 1990s and present
day. KMEL continues to host smaller versions of the event annually.
Similarly, Los Angeles station KKBT held an annual Summer Jam hip-hop concert
during the 1990s after hiring KMEL's Program Director in 1993. The concert
was discontinued as the station switched formats.
The concert has increasing become a scene of drug use and violence over the
years. The most recent festival held on June 7, 2015 included a riot in the
stadium parking lot. The disturbance began when crowds of people without
tickets attempted to enter the stadium anyway by climbing over the fence and
were stopped by New Jersey State Police. At this time, the decision to close all
gates to the stadium was made and those in the parking lot were asked to leave.
Instead of leaving, the crowd began throwing glass bottles and other objects
at police. The police responded with riot gear, armored vehicles, and pepper
spray. Multiple arrests were made. Summer Jam 1994
= Performers = Wu-Tang Clan
Queen Latifah Arrested Development
Gang Starr Black Moon
King Just A Tribe Called Quest
Domino Nas
Sudden Change SWV
Summer Jam 1995 = Performers =
The Notorious B.I.G. Naughty by Nature
Method Man Blackstreet
Shabba Ranks Soul 4 Real
Brandy Summer Jam 1996
= Performers = Fugees
Mary J. Blige LL Cool J
Total Busta Rhymes
Lost Boyz Summer Jam 1997
= Performers = Aaliyah
112 Puff Daddy
Mase Lil' Kim
The LOX Faith Evans
Heavy D Blackstreet
Mary J. Blige Wu-Tang Clan
Bone Thugs N Harmony Summer Jam 1998
= Performers = Busta Rhymes
The LOX Queen Pen
Next Big Pun
DMX Cam'ron
Mase Summer Jam 1999
= Performers = Jay-Z
702 Ja Rule
The LOX Drag-On
Eve Swizz Beatz
Method Man Redman
Nas Q-Tip
Missy Elliott Busta Rhymes
DMX MC Hammer
Summer Jam 2000 = Performers =
Jay-Z Dr. Dre
Eminem Snoop Dogg
Sisqó Aaliyah
Timbaland Eve
Drag-On The LOX
Swizz Beatz Juvenile
B.G. Lil Wayne
Black Rob Sean Paul
Summer Jam 2001 = Performers =
Jay-Z Beanie Sigel
Memphis Bleek R. Kelly
Snoop Dogg Nelly
Destiny's Child Outkast
Ja Rule Eve
Ludacris Summer Jam 2002
= Performers = Nas - Did Not Perform
Cam'ron Ja Rule
Ashanti Missy Elliott
Busta Rhymes N.O.R.E.
Alicia Keys Mobb Deep
Summer Jam 2003 = Performers =
50 Cent Eminem
Nas Busta Rhymes
Nelly Lil' Kim
Sean Paul Clipse
Fabolous Summer Jam 2004
= Performers = 50 Cent
G-Unit R. Kelly
Alicia Keys Ludacris
Kanye West Big Boi
Lil Jon Ying Yang Twins
Jadakiss Chingy
Summer Jam 2005 = Performers =
Snoop Dogg Game
Ludacris Kanye West
Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz Lil Scrappy
Trillville Pitbull
Ciara The Diplomats
Cam'ron Jadakiss
D-Block Summer Jam 2006
= Performers = Busta Rhymes
T.I. Young Jeezy
Mobb Deep Dem Franchize Boyz
Jermaine Dupri Three 6 Mafia
Remy Ma The Diplomats
Sean Paul Ne-Yo
Mary J. Blige Jamie Foxx
Chris Brown Summer Jam 2007
= Performers = Ludacris
Akon Chris Brown
Lil Wayne Birdman
Diddy Keyshia Cole
Elephant Man Ne-Yo
Ciara Young Jeezy
Mims Swizz Beatz
T-Pain Rich Boy
Summer Jam 2008 The 2008 Summer Jam concert took place
at the Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts in Mansfield, MA on June 1, 2008.
= Performers = Alicia Keys
Kanye West Rihanna - Did Not Perform
T-Pain Ray J
Yung Berg The-Dream
Kardinal Offishall Styles P
Sheek Louch Public Enemy
Lil' Wayne Gym Class Heroes - Did Not Perform
Jim Jones = Special Guests =
Akon LL Cool J
Fat Joe DJ Khaled
Rick Ross Jim Jones
Shawty Lo Ace Hood
Raekwon Swizz Beatz
Tity Boi Method Man
Maino Ghostface Killah
Rita G Young Jeezy
Red Cafe Fabolous
Jadakiss N.O.R.E.
Nature Juelz Santana
Summer Jam 2009 The 2009 Summer Jam concert did take
place at Giants Stadium, in East Rutherford, NJ, on June 7, 2009. The
concert was being billed on Hot97's official site as "The Final Hip Hop
Concert In Giants Stadium History!!!". The show was hosted by Tracy Morgan and
Angie Martinez. = Performers =
T-Pain The-Dream
Young Jeezy Jadakiss
Juelz Santana Elephant Man
Mavado Serani
Pleasure P Jim Jones
= Special Guests = Day26
Fabolous Jeremih
Styles P Sheek Louch
Busta Rhymes Swizz Beatz
Method Man Redman
Drake Jay-Z
Maino Lil' Kim
DJ Khaled Ace Hood
DJ Scoop Soulja Boy Tell 'Em
Ron Browz DJ Webstar
= Festival Village Performers = GS Boyz
Asher Roth Ron Browz
DJ Webstar Summer Jam 2010
The 2010 Summer Jam concert took place at New Meadowlands Stadium, in East
Rutherford, NJ, on June 6, 2010. The concert Is being billed as both "The
biggest hip hop concert in the world." and "New Meadowlands Stadium's first hip
hop concert." Artists were announced on May 3, 2010 on The Angie Martinez Show.
= Performers = Drake
Trey Songz Ludacris
Juelz Santana Nicki Minaj
Fabolous Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek
DJ Khaled Usher
Gucci Mane = Special Guests =
Waka Flocka Flame Lloyd Banks
J. Cole Estelle
Red Cafe Maino
Birdman Gyptian
Cassie T-Pain
Cam'ron Busta Rhymes
Rick Ross Fat Joe
Summer Jam 2011 = Performers =
Lil Wayne Drake
Birdman Young Money
Chris Brown The Diplomats
Rick Ross Fabolous
Wiz Khalifa Lloyd Banks
Waka Flocka Flame = Special Guests =
Busta Rhymes Drake
DJ Khaled Wale
Meek Mill P. Diddy
French Montana Summer Jam 2012
= Performers = Waka Flocka Flame
French Montana Maino
Tyga 2 Chainz
Young Jeezy J. Cole
Wale Meek Mill
Trey Songz Big Sean
Rick Ross Nas
Nicki Minaj - Did Not Perform DJ Khaled - Did Not Perform
Mavado - Did Not Perform = Special Guests =
NeYo T.I.
Pusha T Mase
Lauryn Hill Wu-Tang Clan
Summer Jam 2013 = Performers =
Wu-Tang Clan Kendrick Lamar
ASAP Rocky Miguel
Chris Brown 2 Chainz
French Montana Wale
Fabolous Joe Budden
= Festival Village Performers = Action Bronson
Joey Badass Kid Ink
Smoke DZA Troy Ave
Vinnie Cha$e Bodega Bamz
ASAP Ferg Radamiz
= Special Guests = Mariah Carey
Nicki Minaj Meek Mill
Rick Ross Lil Wayne
Lil' Kim Joell Ortiz
Schoolboy Q Jay Rock
Ab-Soul Papoose
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Trinidad James
Ace Hood DJ Khaled
Tank Summer Jam 2014
= Performers = Nicki Minaj
50 Cent Nas
Wiz Khalifa Trey Songz
The Roots DJ Mustard
YG Ty Dolla Sign
Bunji Garlin Troy Ave
Action Bronson Kid Ink
Sevyn Streeter = Festival Village Performers =
Childish Gambino Iggy Azalea
Nipsey Hussle Chinx Drugz
Jhené Aiko Mack Wilds
August Alsina = Special Guests =
Snoop Dogg - With Wiz Khalifa G-Unit - With 50 Cent
Meek Mill - On Nas Set French Montana - On Nas Set
Young Jeezy - With YG on DJ Mustard Set Yo Gotti - With 50 Cent
Soulja Boy - With Nicki Minaj Fabolous - With 50 Cent
The Lox - With The Roots Young Thug - With Nicki Minaj
Lil Wayne - with Nicki Minaj Drake - with Nicki Minaj
M.O.P. - With The Roots ASAP Ferg - On DJ Mustard Set
Ty Dolla Sign - With Kid Ink Summer Jam 2015
= Performers = Kendrick Lamar
Big Sean Chris Brown
Trey Songz Meek Mill
Fabolous Childish Gambino
Omarion Ty Dolla Sign
= Festival Village Performers = B.o.B
Joey Badass Dej Loaf
Travis Scott Teyana Taylor
Fetty Wap = Special Guests =
50 Cent and G-Unit - With Chris Brown French Montana - With Chris Brown
Mobb Deep - With Fabolous Lil' Kim - With Fabolous
Remy Ma - With Fabolous Busta Rhymes - With Fabolous
Mase - With Fabolous Fat Joe - With Fabolous
Raekwon - With Fabolous Method Man & Redman - With Fabolous
The LOX - With Fabolous Wiz Khalifa - With Ty Dolla Sign
Dej Loaf - With Ty Dolla Sign Schoolboy Q - With Kendrick Lamar
Nicki Minaj With Meek Mill Future - With Meek Mill
See also List of hip hop music festivals
Hip hop culture References