Hip Hop Fans Throw A Birthday Party For Oakland Rapper The Jacka, Months After His Unsolved Murder
(CBS SF) -- Fans celebrated the 38th birthday of the late Bay Area rapper known as The Jacka Wednesday night.
"He would have loved this," said Tim House, The Jacka's producer.
House said a big concert with his fans and friends is the perfect celebration of The Jacka's life.
"The love that the Bay Area has for The Jacka is amazing," said performer Rake Dua.
At the Regency Ballroom is San Francisco, 40 artists performed The Jacka's biggest hits late into the night.
"Everyone here performing has a deep personal connection to The Jacka," House said. "Not just his music, but to the man."
The Jacka was his stage name; the man was Dominic Newton.
His shooting death in East Oakland last February left the Bay Area rap community speechless, especially Prashant "P.K." Kumar, his close friend and manager.
"Seems like he's still here, like working on a project or somewhere else," Kumar said. "But he'll be back."
Kumar has seen first-hand how fans were drawn to The Jacka's rhymes.
"I just want them to remember that and keep that alive," Kumar said.
The Jacka rapped about the tough neighborhoods, the same rough and tumble streets that in the end took his life too.
"(There's) a message behind what he talked about," performer Raka Rich said. "He was original."
Oakland Police have made no arrests in The Jacka's murder.