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. There have now been fifteen consecutive SuperJam concert events.
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, Gucci Mane, Diddy, T.I., Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, T-Pain, Young Jeezy, LL Cool J, Soulja Boy, Ludacris, Ja Rule, Plies, Nas, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Travis Porter, Ying Yang Twins, Cam'ron, Lloyd, Three 6 Mafia, Big Pun, Chingy, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, Tank, N.O.R.E., Trina, Jermaine Dupri, Roscoe Dash, Petey Pablo, Doug E. Fresh, The-Dream, DJ Kool, Shawty Lo, Trick Daddy, Flo Rida, Dru Hill, Sheek Louch, Redman, Ray-J, Da Brat, Fabolous and many, many more.
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 outset. Ticket prices have been set at $10, $17.50, and $25, with some VIP floor seats at $30. 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."
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, later in the Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion and since 2010 in the Coliseum West Wing B, 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.
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.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Lil’ Kim, SWV, OutKast, Freak Nasty, Junior M.A.F.I.A. and Lost Boyz
LL Cool J, Big Pun, Dru Hill, Goodie Mob, Cam'ron, Total, Charlie Baltimore and Sylk-E. Fyne
Busta Rhymes, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Trina, 112, Trick Daddy, JT Money, Rare Essence, Sporty Thievz and Jermaine Dupri
Jay-Z, Jagged Edge, Da Brat, Donell Jones, Bow Wow, and Jermaine Dupri
Ludacris, Ja Rule, Bow Wow, Petey Pablo, DJ Kool, Redman, Philly’s Most Wanted, Sunshine Anderson and Tank
P Diddy and the Family, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Mr. Cheeks, N.O.R.E., Nappy Roots, Charlie Baltimore and Vida
Lil’ Jon and the Eastside Boyz, Nas, Lil’ Kim, Bone Crusher and Wayne Wonder
Ying Yang Twins, Chingy, Petey Pablo, J-Kwon, Trillville, Elephant Man and Crime Family
T. I., Ying Yang Twins, Trillville, Boyz n da Hood and Young Jeezy
SuperJam X took place Friday night, June 30, 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.
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.
Tickets for the 12th annual SuperJam went on sale Friday, May 16, 2008, with the show date announced as Friday night June 27. On Friday, May 31, 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 6 Mafia.
Tickets for the 13th annual SuperJam went on sale Friday, May 15, at 10 AM. The concert was held Friday, June 19, 2009. 102 JAMZ sent emails to 102 JAMZ Hard Hittaz on Memorial Day and the following Monday listing acts scheduled to perform. On the days following these emails, on-air announcements confirmed the details. The complete 2009 lineup featured Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, Fast Life Yungstaz (F. L. Y.), Yung L.A. and Lil' Ru. In addition, special surprise guests Fabolous and Ricco Barrino joined the show. SuperJam 2009 sold out over the weekend before the show.
On-sale date for SuperJam (#14) was Friday, May 21, at 10 AM. The date of the concert was announced as Friday, June 25. The first advance email was sent to 102 JAMZ Hard Hittaz just after midnight Memorial Day (Monday, May 31), leaking "Breaking News"... the announcement of "the legendary emcee, movie star and Hip Hop entrepreneur with a million hit records from the year 2000 to now", Ludacris, plus Waka Flocka Flame and B.o.B. Tuesday morning, June 1 at 7:25 AM, 102 JAMZ announced these three acts on the air. Six days later, just after midnight Sunday morning, June 6, a second email announced Plies, Roscoe Dash and Party Boyz and named the complete lineup. This information was broadcast on-air, Monday morning, June 7, at 7:25. The 2010 lineup included Ludacris, Plies, Waka Flocka Flame, Roscoe Dash, B.o.B., Party Boyz, Sean Garrett, Cali Swag District, plus a previously unannounced "last minute surprise" Travis Porter.
Vague mentions of SuperJam began to be heard the week of May 2nd. Friday afternoon, May 6th, the on-sale date for the fifteenth annual SuperJam was announced as Friday, May 13th at 10 AM. On May 23, Waka Flocka Flame was announced as a "SuperJam headliner", with the news leaked 24 hours earlier to station Hard Hittaz and later on the day prior to the on-air announcement, to both Facebook and Twitter contacts. One week later, May 30, both Travis Porter and Young Jeezy were confirmed for the show, with similar advance notice given. On June 6th, the remaining acts scheduled for SuperJam were announced, with early notice supplied through social media sites and email. Friday night, June 17th, at 7:30 PM, the 2011 SuperJam lineup featured, in order, Big Sean, YC (Yung Chris), Jeremih, Ace Hood, Lloyd, Travis Porter, Waka Flocka Flame and Young Jeezy. Two Mix Squad Battles (DJ Polo/DJ MC and DJ Deluxe/J-Flex) were featured between acts, as well.