Cymarshall Law "The Same Guy" (Video)

If you missed this year's Jersey Fresh Jam, don't worry; this new video from Cymarshall Law will make it feel like you were there. He shot the clip for "The Same Guy" during this year's Jam, and released it just in time for the release Imperfectly Perfect, which drops on September 7th.

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Deep Concentration: Will Kasso

I told you guys last month that there would be some new beginnings around here, and our brand new podcast/interview series Deep Concentration will be a new chapter for this site and my own journey. Being a lover of podcasts and conversations, my aim for Deep Concentration is to have deeper conversations that will focus on the creatives that I have crossed paths with that either birthed new energy or just excited me as a fan and lover of the visual and performing arts.

For the first episode of Deep Concentration, I had a dope conversation with Trenton's own Will Kasso, who now calls Vermont home. I've been following his work for the longest, and have grown to know him over the last six years. He's one of the beacons of the Trenton graffiti scene, helping put the Trenton scene on the map, and is the founder of the S.A.G.E. Coalition, a community revitalization project that which was a major catalyst for today's arts scene in Trenton.

With his solo exhibition Urban Legend currently up at Artworks Trenton until August 31, I got to talk to him the night before the show's reception. Kasso didn't hold anything back, sitting with me for almost 90 minutes to talk about everything from his history as an artist in Trenton, NJ, the Gandhi Garden and that Mike Brown mural to the rise and fall of the S.A.G.E. Coalition.

You can stream the full episode via Mixcloud, or download it for free via iTunes and Google Play. You can also follow Deep Concentration on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I want to send a major shout out to Deal - The Villain for letting me use "Legend Blue" on Deep Concentration. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please contact us over at deepconpod@gmail.com.

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The Jersey Fresh Jam 2017 Needs Your Help

Trenton's Jersey Fresh Jam is coming up on its 12th year, and is in need of your help. The event is one of the only hip-hop festivals in the state of New Jersey, and is a hype way for multiple elements of hip-hop to converge. Hell, some of my favorite hip-hop relationships have been fostered at this event.

For 2017, the Jam needs $3,000 for paint supplies and sound equipment. They've opened up a Kickstarter to help them get it moving, and have some dope perks for people who pledge, ranging from exclusive t-shirts and a dope mix from DJ itsjusthahmad to getting your name tagged on the wall and even being able to rock a piece of your own at the event.

Check out the video below, which features JFJ organizer Leon Rainbow breaking down what the Jam needs this year, and if you are down to help keep this event going, please pledge. The sooner the better, as this Kickstarter ends on the 29th of July. For more details on the Jersey Fresh Jam, hit up jerseyfreshjam.com.

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Leon Rainbow and Will Kasso Talk the History of Jersey Fresh Jam

This week, Trenton365 had Leon Rainbow and Will Kasso on the program to talk about the Jersey Fresh Jam, which will be back again for its 11th annual event on August 6 at TerraCycle in Trenton. They not only break down the history of the Jam, but the importance of Graffiti in both the art world and the culture of hip-hop. Trenton's been doing this, but it's always good to sit down and look back at the journey. I personally make it a point to hit the Jam for a bit every summer, and I think you should as well.

For more details on this year's event, hit up jerseyfreshjam.com.

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Here's the Official Jersey Fresh Jam 2015 Flyer

Mark your calendars: the 10th Anniversary of the Jersey Fresh Jam goes down on August 22nd, 2015 at TerraCycle in Trenton. Alongside the 50 dope graf writers and street artists throwing down (and up) LIVE, there's a stacked music line-up featuring two seriously ill special guests: Cappadonna and El Da Sensei!

Also included is an amazing collection of Jersey-centric artists, featuring Venomous2000, DJ Priority and Tone Liv, Molly Rhythm, Black Collar Biz, Skrewtape, Mr. Fickle, and many, many more. Check out the full performance line-up down below, and be sure to be there!

Keep it locked to jerseyfreshjam.com for more details and updates.

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Jersey Fresh Jam 2014: In Pictures

I have to say, this year's Jersey Fresh Jam (the ninth annual) was the best one I've attended. As I walked towards TerraCycle with my wife, the atmosphere just felt different. The layout's the best they've had, with the food trucks and stands in one spot near the vendors, which might've been to give more writers space within the TerraCycle backyard (at least, to me, it feels like there were more writers out there). Seeing guys like the legendary SKEME tagging alongside the Jersey writers was dope by itself. There were a number of seriously dope pieces, from a great Marilyn Monroe portrait to whatever that animal is from the Ice Age films. And the music!

The music! One of the true highlights was seeing Black Collar Biz and Old Sol live once again. They dropped that "Time's Up," which is so moody and brooding—hearing that at Art All Night 2014 was one of my favorite parts of that entire event. Hustle Emcee had a dope set, as did Mr. Fickle and Venomous 2000, who shared a set and really had the hip-hop heads vibing. Hell, Venomous' last track was for the b-boys, and one guy actually started breaking on the blacktop! CORFU (Skrewtape, Rich Quick, and Biz Mighty) merked the stage, as did a number of acts I wasn't too up on (liked seeing the young boys Namebrand out there as well). Overall, the music stage was on point.

The entire day was one for the record books. You can check out my collection of BlackBerry pictures HERE; my main question is "if the ninth year was this great, how will they top it for their tenth anniversary?!" You'll have to come out next year and see.

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The Official Jersey Fresh Jam 2014 Music Lineup

August 9 can't come soon enough; Jersey Fresh Jam 2014 is right around the corner, and we got word that the official musical lineup has been announced. If you've been hitting JFJ religiously over the last few years, or just keep abreast to the NJ hip-hop/music scene, you should be up on a lot of these acts. Let me just say: bring your cameras. This one is set to be FIRE. Check out the full lineup after the jump. Just know that cats we've featured here, cats you should always be up on, and a host of dope surprises will be in store.

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Jersey Fresh Jam (8/09/2014)

Save the date on this one. There's no space for additional writers, nor are the musical acts announced, but this is ALWAYS a great open-air event in my city. Hit up the Facebook page for more details.

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Leon Rainbow: Politically Incorrect (May 2, 2014)

The one like Leon Rainbow's Politically Incorrect show kicks off tonight at Trenton Social (which is across the street from the Sun National Bank Center on South Broad). Here's a little insight on the show:

"The work in Politically Incorrect incorporates a style that had its genesis in a watercolor mixed media series Rainbow did in 2010 called Freestyle Fridays. In Freestyle Fridays he released a new freeform piece on his website each week for a year. These freeform pieces helped him to develop a style that incorporates complex patterns and designs with imagery and symbolism.

This style further evolved in murals Rainbow subsequently created, one in Trenton (on Clinton and Hudson Street), and another, sponsored by Miller Brewing, in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia (on Frankford Street). In Politically Incorrect, Rainbow is using the movement, style and color of his street work to influence his paintings on canvas, then working the canvases back into the street art. This back and forth cross-fertilization builds new styles and concepts with each piece. Politically Incorrect is an ongoing project."

There's an ill video shot at Miller Brewing that you can see after the jump, as well as a few pictures of what this will entail. Don't sleep, especially if you're into the Arts.

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[video] Storm the Gates (10/06/2013)

And this is why SAGE is so necessary in the city of Trenton (and beyond).

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Windows of Soul 2 (9/13/2013)

SAGE is making it bigger this year. Montgomery Street, look out! Find out how YOU can submit your art. Full details down below.

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Jersey Fresh Jam 2013: The Aftermath

I know, I know, yesterday I said I'd be doing my live-blogging dean. There was something about the Wifi out there, and just wanting to EXPERIENCE, that had me not sitting at my laptop for the duration of yesterday's Jersey Fresh Jam 2013. And I'm glad I didn't.

See, some experiences aren't experiences until they're experienced. Being able to be with my people, taking in the sights and sounds of another Jersey Fresh Jam? You can't put it into words. It's just an amazing time with a creative group of amazing New Jerseyans. From all of the talented graffiti artists (who did everything from painting Hunter S. Thompson to Game of Thrones characters) to the talented acts like Black Collar Biz and the Blackout Kings, Molly Rhythm, Skrewtape (who hit me with a copy of his Skumbag Millionaires album), DEMO, and many others getting on the stage and showing the enormous talent that's housed within the 609 area code. I didn't get to build with EVERYONE I wanted to, but that's for another time. There's just something in the air when NJ hip-hop family gets together.

I won't take too much of your time; I'll let these pictures do the talking. Here is my collection of shots from the Jam, as well as the awesome pics from V2Gphotography (whattup, Venomous?!?!). After the jump, I have (Blackberry) video from the Black Collar Biz and Biz Mighty performances. If I see more, I'll post more. UPDATE Here's the Trentonian's piece on the Jam.

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Jersey Fresh Jam 2013: The Calm

Yeah, it's that time again. The 2013 edition of the Jersey Fresh Jam is underway right... now. Head over to Terracycle at 121 New York Ave in Trenton, as the fam is out there doing the damn thing. You've got the best graffiti artists in Jersey, but there are cats coming from all over - this is a DESTINATION SPOT for graffiti writers, and one of the premiere Hip-Hop festivals in the area.

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Jersey Fresh Jam 2013 (8/10/2013): Official Flyer

Everything you need to know about the 2013 Jersey Fresh Jam is right here. The official Pre-Party/Vicious Styles Crew art show goes down at Gallery 219 in Trenton on August 9th. The Jam take splace at Terracycle in Trenton on August 10th from 12PM-6PM, with over 50 artists painting live, as well as a number of live performances from Black Collar Biz (with the Blackout Kings), Tone Liv, Molly Rhythm, Rich Quick, and plenty of others, with the official Jersey Fresh Jam Afterparty going down at Artworks in Trenton that night. There will be a food drive to benefit Mercer Street Friends, and it will be a dope-ass event all around. Hit up the Facebook event page to get more info and let the folks know you're coming out. I'll be in the house live-blogging because that's how I do. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!

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SAGE COALITION Presents Presume the Unpredictable (11/09/2012)

Dope project from the SAGE crew going down tomorrow night at Studios at 219 in Trenton. Kasso is about to kill it with this one, with the likes of Rich Quick, Hustle Emcee and more. Hit the Facebook event page.

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Windows Of Soul (Sept. 21st-23rd 2012)

Kasso and the crew previewing the dope "Windows Of Soul" project, which is going down on a block of East Hanover Street in Trenton, from the 21st-23rd of September. Love that S.A.G.E. is forming like Voltron to bring CULTURE like this to the city. All art is being submitted - worldwide - so hit the jump for the flyer and info on how to get things sent out. Good to see Black Collar Biz performing on the 23rd of September as well. Truth.

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#JFJ The Morning After

This is one of my favorite pieces from yesterday. I finally added all of the shots I took at the Jersey Fresh Jam (via Facebook), but I'm kind of pissed. Not at the actual event - as it was dope, but I missed some key shit: once the music got shut down, there were some freestyles going down outside. I heard Biz Mighty went off, and I caught the tail-end of Skrew in the cipher as well. I did get some footage of Rhymageddon and his crew (even Emcee Jermaine) kicking verses outside of his whip. I'll have that footage up tomorrow more than likely. I did get to interact with a LOT of the Jersey fam, including A Sharp, Phace, Wade Wilson, Dready Mercury, Tone Liv, Divine Drummah and many more, heads I can't even think of. Shit I came home and took it down early, but it was a LONG day. I am also pissed that I didn't get to post as much as I wanted to, but I know for next year what to do. And I did get a good amount of footage. Lesson(s) learned!

I saw that Roads-Art posted up a video of Yasin at the #JFJ yesterday, which you can check after the jump. There's also a grip of footage from the After Party last night. When I get more footage, I'll share.

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#JFJ Hot Outside

Hot outside. Very hot. The thing with the Terracycle spot is that it's great and in the cut, but it also has no shade/trees in the open area. I'm in a secret chamber of the building doing this post right now. I am reserved in the fact that I've not met my personal quota, but it just wasn't happening. I got to see a lot of my local Jersey fam though: Tone Liv, Self, Black Collar Biz, Phace, Skrewtape and plenty more cats have been here. Seen FEED rock with Divine Drummah, as well as saw King Don (above) and KV do their thing. I got to meet neph from thehiphophead.net, and I'm still waiting on seeing cats like Daniel Joseph and Jermaine.

Shit, word just hit from Jermaine - the Trenton Police shut the music down. I saw them earlier making the vendors move out of the way, but the music had been at a VERY decent level. Might be a permit issue. What the fuck?!?! Hit the FB for images and shit, we'll see what's good.

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#JFJ Styles Stay Vicious

Ayo - sun is baking out here. Next year? A tree LOL. It's fter noon and the writers are getting UP. Don't believe me, check the evidence. Luv1 is doing his thing. I don't know everyone, but that's not my job. We just documenting and enjoying right now. Ahmad is running through some Jersey Hip-Hop (Artifacts, Redman, Queen Latifah Queen Latifah, etc.), because you can't forget New Jersey. Still sweating my ass off. The performances will be going down in the open area, and it should be a doozy. Check the set times if you'be got someone in particular youre trying to see. Until then, check the FB album for my digital ca footage. And come the fuck out! Skrewtape and his missus have! Let's go!

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#JFJ It Begins...

My personal morning tarted out kind of slow, and this Wifi issue was pissing me off, but as you can see, I GOT IT! DJ Ahmad is playing the fly shit on the decks, the paint is in the air and the love is flowing. Nothing is as Hip-Hop as the Jersey Fresh Jam. I'm hyped for this! I'll be updating pics throughout the day, praying there's no rain and rocking to the great music. Keep up with this link if you wanna see the continuous picture uploads. And if you're in the area, come out! Full details via JerseyFreshJam.com. And if you're tweeting, use #JFJ. Let's go!

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