The Jacka facts for kids

Dominick Newton (born August 12, 1977 – died February 2, 2015), known as The Jacka, was an American rapper. He was from Pittsburg, California. The Jacka started his music journey with the rap group Mob Figaz. Sadly, he passed away on February 2, 2015, in Oakland, California.

Early Life and Beginnings

Dominick was born on August 12, 1977. As a teenager, he helped support his family. He converted to Islam when he was young. He then changed his name to Shaheed Akbar.

The Jacka's Music Career

The Jacka's music career began with the rap group Mob Figaz. When he was a teenager, he and his friends met a well-known rapper named C-Bo. They went to a recording studio that same day. They appeared on a song called "Ride Til We Die." This song was on C-Bo's album Til My Casket Drops in 1998.

Their first album, C-Bo's Mob Figaz, came out in 1999. It was a minor hit on the Billboard Hip Hop chart. It reached number 63 and sold 160,000 copies.

The Jacka released his first solo album, The Jacka of the Mob Figaz, in 2001. He sold over 30,000 copies of this album himself. He sold them in the Bay Area and shipped them across the country. Even though he had great support from California, 60% of his sales came from outside the state.

In 2005, The Jacka released his second solo album, The Jack Artist. In 2009, his third solo album, Tear Gas, reached number 93 on the Billboard chart. A very popular song from his 2009 album was "Glamorous Lifestyle." It became a classic in his hometown of Oakland and the Bay Area. Before he passed away, he owned his own record label called The Artist Records.

The Jacka's Albums

The Jacka released many albums and mixtapes throughout his career.

Solo Albums

• 2001: The Jacka of the Mob Figaz
• 2005: The Jack Artist
• 2006: Jack of All Trades
• 2008: The Street Album
• 2009: Tear Gas
• 2010: Broad Daylight
• 2011: Flight Risk
• 2014: What Happened to the World
• 2020: Murder Weapon

Solo Mixtapes

Collaborative Albums