Before The Riot: Summer Jam Fans Tailgated & Shared Their Favorite Festival Moments
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Artis Jones, left, of Newark, NJ, and Shelley Griswold of Ocean City, NJ. Jones was there to see Meek Mill, and as far as surprises, "50, Dre, I don't give a fuck." Griswold didn't follow past Summer Jams but was there to see Meek Mill and Big Sean, whose new album she said is "fucking dope."
Tod Seelie/GothamistAshley Allder of Piscataway, NJ, right, was excited to see "my husband Trey [Songz], my brother Chris [Brown]." Explaining her shirt she said, "I'm part West Indian. We say it all the time. People ask me why. They like it or they don't but it's a conversation starter." She and Mecca Jennings, also of Piscataway loved last year's G-Unit reunion.
Tod Seelie/GothamistChristina Carlucci, center, of Stamford, CT, came to see Trey Songz and Chris Brown because of their "hot bods. They're sexy as fuck." Maggie Doherty, also of Stanford, second from left, concurred, and also wanted to lay eyes on Fabolous.
Tod Seelie/GothamistSandino Sainclinat of Elizabeth, NJ, left, hoped to see Future come out with Meek Mill (he did, after some social media foreshadowing) and show off his muscles with some buds.
Tod Seelie/GothamistScalez from Harlem said he came out to see "anyone who's famous. Really I'm just trying to get bread." He declined to say what exactly his hustle was, but another guy was selling selfie sticks out of a garbage bag for $10 each. As for his favorite Summer Jam moment, "This is the moment. Right here."
Tod Seelie/GothamistThese ladies parleyed their tailgate barbecue into a little moneymaking operation at the spur of the moment, charging $3 for one burger or $5 for two. Ivy Bolden, left, of Yonkers, said, "I'm here to see Meek Mill since my husband Chinx passed away." Cindy Pages, center, of Yonkers, wanted to see a surprise Nicki Minaj appearance. She got her wish, assuming she got in.
Tod Seelie/GothamistJessica Hernandez, right, came with her mom Kathy to see Chris Brown. Kathy is a veteran having come for years with her older son, but now that he's 21 he is too cool to be seen with her. Her most memorable moment was "when I got too messed up and my pants fell down and my son had to pick them up. But it wasn't my fault. The elastic broke." Fair enough
Tod Seelie/GothamistVeck, left, of Flatbush, has been many times and can't forget Jay Z bringing out Michael Jackson. "That was a classic." He rightly predicted Meek being joined by the other half of his dynastic rap romance, Nicki Minaj.
Tod Seelie/GothamistJanessa King of Staten Island came hoping to see Nicki Minaj. "I rap myself and I respect any female rapper trying to do her thing."
Tod Seelie/GothamistAnge Mange, center, of Long Branch, NJ didn't have a ticket or plans to try to get in. "I'm parleying," he said.
Tod Seelie/Gothamist