Brick Memorial's Stamper Finalist In N.J. Shout Down Drugs Event

BRICK, NJ -- Brick Memorial's Jonathan Stamper has made it through to the finals of the 2016 New Jersey Shout Down Drugs competition.

Stamper advanced to the finals with the assistance of the community's vote, and the budding artist needs the community's support once more as the final competition, scheduled for May 25, approaches.

The final competition, at the annual Statewide Prevention Concert, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the Rutgers University Nicholas Music Center in New Brunswick.

Stamper is one of 23 competitors who will be performing their original songs that night. According to his profile on the New Jersey Shout Down Drugs website, he is an urban pop artist who plays several instruments, sings, raps, dances and more. He and his stepfather started an independent label, Block IV Entertainment in January.

Voting by the public, which helped him become the county finalist, is continuing. Click here to go to his profile and see the lyrics for his rap song titled, "All Day." You can vote by clicking the VOTE button on his profile and the website says you can vote multiple times per day.

Created in 2005, New Jersey Shout Down Drugs challenges high school students to create original music and lyrics with powerful substance abuse prevention messages to allow teens to deliver the prevention message to each other through music. County Finalists are chosen by peer judges to perform their original songs at the annual statewide concert, and first-, second- and third-place winners are chosen by a panel of judges that night to receive music contracts worth $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 respectively to perform their winning songs at different events throughout the state during the year.

The Nicholas Music Center is located at 85 George St. in New Brunswick. Rutgers warns that Mapquest directions to the venue are wrong, and posts the following directions on its website:

Garden State Parkway north to Exit 105; follow the signs for Route 18 north. Take Route 18 north past the entrance for the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 1; after the first traffic light (Paulus Blvd.), bear right, following signs for New Brunswick Exits. Take the exit ramp to the left marked Route 172 – Cook/Douglass. At the light, turn left onto Route 172 – Cook/Douglass. Just before the first traffic light, make a right into the Performing Arts Center. Parking is on the left; the PAC is directly ahead.

Tickets to the Prevention Concert are free and can be ordered through the New Jersey Shout Down Drugs website, or by calling 973-467-2100, ext. 19.