Newark’s first-ever Peace Week purpose is to raise awareness of the de-escalation of violence and deliver a podium to bring the community together. 24 Hours of Peace is organized by The City Of Newark, 24 Hrs Of Peace Inc., Office of Violence Prevention, Brick City Peace Collective, and DJ Lilman. Downtown Newark was lit in the middle of night Friday, September 3. And the goal is to entertain and uplift the community until Saturday, September 4. Twenty four hours of free peace for the public. In addition to the headliners, KRS-One, Jadakiss, Beanie Sigel To Headline “24 Hrs Of Peace” Concert JadaKiss, Freeway, KRS1, and Beanie Seagull, fitness exhibitionists The Bartendaz, and other local acts like O50 Boys are slated to be part of the lineup for the community-building event.
Newark is the most populous city in New Jersey with 280,000 plus residents. There was a time when you heard the name Newark you assimilated the city with the word dangerous. Crime is no stranger to Newark which has plagued the city for decades and in 1986 there were more than 40,000 index crimes according to abcnews.
Newark is now trending downward, in a positive way for about 30 years. In 2014, Ras Baraka was elected as Newark’s mayor. At that time 112 murders ripped through the streets the year before. One hundred and twelve was the most in 24 years.
Since the city saw over 3,200 violent crimes in 2015, every year those numbers have declined. 2020 had a low level of less than 1,500 violent crimes. What contributed to this decline. Police Reform! Not a single gunshot was fired by police officers in Newark last year and crime continues to dip.
Black Westchester Magazine was on location until Saturday in the early hours. Twenty Four Hours of Peace in Newark, NJ was well organized and refreshing to attend. Lovers of hip-hop enjoyed DJ Lil Man and DJ Clue. The crowd roared when JadaKiss hit the stage and welcomed Beanie Seagull plus Freeway. A highlight was a local act O50 Boys. They rocked the mic with the perfect beat. Their lyrics combined with creative genius completed the atmosphere. The crowd was pleased.
