| Scribble Jam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Dates | August |
| Location(s) | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Years active | 1996-2009[1] |
| Founders | Scribble Magazine and DJ Mr. Dibbs |
| Website | scribblemagazine.com |
Scribble Jam was an annual hip hop music festival hosted in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dubbed "America's largest hip hop festival", sort of like Woodstock.[2] It was co-founded in 1996 by "Fat" Nick Accurso,[3] and Jason Brunson, founders of graffiti magazine Scribble, and DJ Mr Dibbs, in the parking lot of a local nightclub. The following year's event benefitted from better publicity, and included MC, DJ and breakdance battles for the first time.[4]
In 2000, with the addition of new partners Tony Heitz and Pase Rock, the festival grew in popularity, as tens of thousands of hip hop fans flocked to its grounds in early August.[citation needed] It has been known to attract up to 20,000 fans.[5] In early April 2010, Scribble Jam organizer Kevin Beacham confirmed the persistent rumors that the event would no longer continue, citing the struggling economy and difficulty in securing funding as reasons.[6]
For most of its existence, Scribble Jam refused corporate sponsorship, which Accurso explained as an attempt to keep the festival from being run by "those who don't understand [hip hop] culture",[3] adding that outside marketing or promotion would "defeat the purpose" of the festival. By 2003, however, the festival had started accepting some corporate sponsors; that year's event was backed by Toyota/Scion.[4]