The Jacka

Originating from Pittsburg, California, rapper the Jacka drew early inspiration from local figures C-Bo, Mac Dre, and Too Short. He entered the scene during the late '90s by joining the Mob Figaz and contributed to numerous albums and mixtapes from the collective before stepping out on his own with a self-titled solo album in 2001. The Jack Artist followed as his second album in 2005, succeeded by an ongoing string of mixtapes and street-level releases. In 2008 he received Ozone magazine’s Patiently Waiting: California award, an honor that underscored the West Coast’s mounting expectations for his next project. That album surfaced the following year on the SMC label, accompanied by the single “Glamorous Lifestyle” and the full-length Tear Gas.