From June 19 to June 21, 2024, the Brick City Jam festival took over the Abington Walls in Newark, spotlighting the essence of hip-hop through art, music, and fashion. The three-day event, a collaboration with Newark city parks and Riverfront Park, celebrated the full spectrum of hip-hop culture. Headlining Newark artists shared the stage with graffiti legends and muralists from around the world, including talents from New York, Philadelphia, Paris, and Los Angeles. It wasn’t just about the performances though—the festival honored hip-hop’s roots while introducing fresh voices to the scene.

This year’s Brick City Jam was more than a celebration; it was a platform for young creators like Kim’s Archive, whose work fuses visual arts, fashion, and drama. 

“Our friendship has collectively progressed us in our fields,” they shared. 

The trio highlighted the collaborative spirit of the festival, emphasizing how it brought together artists from different disciplines, allowing them to express their own interpretations of hip-hop culture.

The festival is a movement. Artists weren’t just selling their work; they were creating a space to tell their stories, from the beats of hip-hop to the spray of paint. “This festival is a jump start to what we want to do,” the Kim’s Archive explained. 

Whether through fashion, music, or art, the Brick City Jam showcased Newark’s undeniable creative energy and its commitment to lifting up the next generation of culture-makers.

Ultimately, the festival underscored Newark’s role as a cultural hub, embracing the past while carving out space for the future of hip-hop.

Watch our full recap below.