Almost nine years since his untimely passing, The Jacka’s legacy continues to loom large in the Bay Area. The Pittsburg-raised lyricist was a pillar of Bay Area mobb music, and infused street storytelling with powerful reflections on survival, grief and hope. For those working through trauma, his music was a beacon, and his personal story was no less compelling: After converting to Islam while incarcerated, The Jacka inspired many to seek a spiritual path.
Timothy Slater met Jacka when the two traveled in the same music circles. After Slater appeared as a background actor in Ryan Coogler’s 2013 film Fruitvale Station, in a scene where a Jacka song played, the rapper told Slater about his ambition to one day make a film.
Now, Slater, along with director Seretese Njemanze and co-producer Devin Russell, is working to make that dream a reality with a forthcoming Jacka documentary. To assist, they’re fundraising for the film at an art exhibit and auction called The Jacka Art Experience, opening Jan. 31 at the Loom in Oakland.
“The interesting thing with the Jacka is that a lot of fans know him for a lot of different reasons,” says Njemanze. “Many know him for being the guy they heard on the radio back in ’09 with ‘All Over Me’ and ‘Glamorous Lifestyle.’ … Other people know him for being an album artist who dropped 50-plus albums, who had a lot to say about Islam and his impact on them, in addition to coming from the gangster rap origins.”
The group show includes paintings, photography and more from over 35 artists, many of whom made new work to commemorate the musical icon. The Jacka’s custom car — a 1971 cherry-red Cutlass — will be on display, and archival images will document his life. A centerpiece of the show will be dozens of behind-the-scenes photos by D-Ray, the hip-hop photographer who followed the Jacka throughout his career and was a close personal friend. Other artists in The Jacka Art Experience include San Francisco graffiti artist Apex and portrait artist (and teen prodigy) Tyler Gordon.
Andrew Espino, who owns 1Culture Gallery in San Jose, came on as the show’s curator. While reaching out to artists — from national names to local up-and-comers — he was astounded by the number of stories he heard about how the Jacka connected with and impacted people from all walks of life. Indeed, the Jacka had a network of underground hip-hop fans from the Bay Area to Houston to Djibouti.
“It reminds me of the stories you hear about Tupac,” says Espino.
The exhibition will also feature a short preview of the documentary, which is still in production. Slater says that rather than focus on the artist’s death, it’s a celebration of his life that uplifts his creative and spiritual legacies. It took time to get key figures on board, like the Jacka’s manager PK, his mother and his estate — which is split among seven heirs.
PK says that at first he was skeptical of the idea of a movie, but Slater was persistent. Over lunch in Oakland, the crew finally convinced PK that they have the dedication and sensitivity to tell the Jacka’s story with nuance and care. “I liked what they thought about Jack and what he meant to them and how they wanted to portray him,” PK says.
“We’re not creating no murder doc or anything like that,” says Slater.
PK’s coming on board connected the filmmakers to crucial sources who knew the Jacka at different phases of his life. He says he wants the film to show a well-rounded, humanizing portrait of the artist in all of his triumphs and imperfections: “His story, his struggle, his confidence. You know, his successes, his failures.”
“He was kind of an underdog to an extent — I don’t really like to say that, but he was,” PK says. “I just want people to be able to see it, and it to be in a big space, so that people who haven’t heard of him yet get a chance to go check out his music and the message that he left. I think it still can resonate with the youth.”
The Jacka Art Experience opens at the Loom in Oakland on Jan. 31 and will be on view through Feb. 3. Tickets and auction items support the making of the Jacka documentary.
