OXFORD — Jayne Wilner was not a fan of hip-hop — that is, until her son became a rapper.
“She came out to my first show and fell in love with it,” said 25-year-old Chadd Wilner who, along with Shawn Boutilier, formed the hip-hop group Frontline about five years ago.
Wilner is no stranger to the rap world. He has traveled across the country with national hip-hop act Spose, selling tour shirts and his own T-shirt designs.
It was those original T-shirts that Jayne often wore as she followed her two favorite rappers — her son and Spose — to concerts.
Family and friends say she lit up every show she attended.
“You meet her once you never forget her,” said Ryan Peters, aka Spose, in a telephone interview Monday. “You just don’t forget her.”
Jayne, 55, a well-known local area florist and bartender, wife, mother of four, “Nana” of nine and aficionado of rap, passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 14.
Her family, Spose and others in the rap/hip-hop community and beyond are gathering Saturday, March 14, at Crazy 8’s in South Paris for a benefit concert they are calling “Music For Momma Maine St.”
“It was so crazy to see she had passed away,” said Peters, who a month earlier had concluded a nationwide tour with Chadd. “I don’t know if I ever met anyone so alive. She was so electric. We had just gotten back from tour. It was so devastating. You knew how much he (Chadd) loved his mother.”
Peters said he had only met Jayne five or six times, but they immediately bonded.
“I knew her as Jag,” he said. “(The nickname) really sums her up eloquently. She was such a strong personality. She was so much more intense. She was a jaguar.”
Peters was so impressed by “Jag” that when she passed away, he drove his wife and daughters from their southern Maine home to the wake in Oxford to show his respect for Jayne and support for Chadd.
“I don’t think I ever remembered anyone as much as I remembered Jag,” he said.
Boutilier, who formed Frontline with Chadd, said Jayne first met Spose at a 2012 benefit in Paris for the family of 19-year-old Logan Dam, who was killed along with 16-year-old Rebecca Mason in an automobile accident in West Paris.
“They instantly bonded,” Boutilier recalled.
Jayne and her husband, Jonathan “Jody” Wilner, always made it a point to go to Chadd and Shawn’s shows.
“They rarely ever missed one,” Boutilier said. “They would follow us from Portland to Bangor. Jayne was always so proud of Chadd. She made it a point to let everyone in the venue know that Chadd was her son and was the best. She loved us and our music.”
Jayne called Chadd every day while he was on tour with Spose.
“You meet a lot of pretenders in this business — Chadd is for real,” Peters said. “I hope he is able to use her as an inspiration.”
Chadd said for now, it’s one day at a time. He remembers his mom always said to take baby steps in difficult directions, whether it was his music or his T-shirt business.
“She always rocked the T-shirts,” he said. “She was there from day one.”
PARIS — A benefit concert for the family of Jayne Wilner will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Crazy 8’s at 187 Main St., featuring national hip-hop act Spose.
The show, for those 18 years and older, will also feature fellow Portland-area rappers Ock Cousteau, Shane Reis, God.Damn.Chan. and I.B.I. performing.
Spose is from Wells and was named Best Hip Hop Act in the Portland Phoenix’s 2010 Best Music Poll. In 2009, he released “We Smoked It All,” which eventually led to his first recording contract with Universal Republic Records. It was after his single, “I’m Awesome,” received national attention in 2010. “I’m Awesome” peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
All the performers are donating their time. Tickets are available in advance or at the door.

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