Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well rounded LP, May 2, 2005
The Mob Figaz are a group that were originally put on by Bo Loco. I have always liked this crew because they all have different styles even though there emcee names are real similar. This solo LP from the Jacka is nice; he has a flow that is kinda like a high pitch jadakiss, but unlike west coast rappers such as the Game the style is not too East Coast to the point where it sounds confused. A lot of the production on here reminded me of Pretty Toney such as the songs "Iller Clip" "standing by Starz" "Barney" and "Blind World". Its a good combination for a rapper like him. On the flip, Jacka gets loose on left coast oriented tracks like "Hey Girl" (remix of lead single) "Lookin at It" (w/ sicc cameos from Yukmouth and Keak Sneak). There are some radio oriented cuts on here too, espeically "Girls Say" and "Get Out there". Probably the best thing about Jacka is that he sounds comfortable about being himself instead of trying to sound like the rest of the newer music coming from the bay right now. The flow is real natural and not forced. Jacka is a young rapper in the game who has a big upside. This album has a lot of potential to blow up nationwide
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Jack Artist Is Truely A Work of Art!, March 17, 2005
The Jacka has made this album 19 tracks of nothing but pure quality from the beginning to the end. His talent and outstanding work ethic really shines with this one. He can probably take every song from this cd, and turn them into singles. "Never Blink", "Standing By the Stars", "Barney (More Crime)", "Really Dope", "Girls Say", "Kuran", "Dedicated Lifestyle", and "Iller Clip" are probably the songs that I listen to the most. Oh yea, and definatley "Hey Girl(Remix)". There's just too many good songs in this CD, and the album will appeal to any fan of rap music whether you like West, East, or Down South. This is an instant classic, and a perfect example of how an album should be made. Every rap fan should do themselves a favor and go buy this album now.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best Bay Area albums of the new era!, November 8, 2008
The Jacka, a member of The Mob Figaz (a group C-Bo put together when he was in his prime) releases his sophmore album. And it turned out to be one of the best West Coast albums to come out in the new millenium. Do not dismiss his album as just another Bay Area release full of trunk knockers. "The Jack Artist" could very well be the best album dropped that year. What makes Jacka's sophomore album so good is the mix of honesty and reality found in his rhymes with Rob Lo's impeccable production. Jacka should be given a chance since he's not your average gangsta rapper. Though a "gangsta" by most people's standards, Jacka displays remorse, understanding, and motivation to change - all qualities which are true rarities in today's rap game. Those qualities, by the way, would probably knock a few years off a sentence or help secure earlier parole. If somehow your rap play list has more stringent standards than a federal judge, then maybe the fact that Jacka has Cormega's seal of approval may be enough to get you open.
The first thing that makes "The Jack Artist" so dope is the production by Rob Lo. Though Maki and Mob Figaz's own Husalah both contribute strong tracks to the album, Rob Lo is the common denominator that takes every song to the next level. "Never Blink" features a soulful voice sample and smooth piano accompaniment along with a commanding bass line. "Iller Clip" is just as soulful, but this time features a sweet string sample along with another dope voice sample on the hook. Maki's "Barney (More Crime)" maintains the albums soulful and melodic vibe with a cascading voice sample and another attention grabbing bass line. By now some of you may be thinking Rob Lo is just another producer cashing in on Kanye's sample resurgence, but Rob Lo and his Blahk Operah Muzic have crafted a style on their own. It maintains the Bay area's love for deep bass lines that play center stage, but manages to balance that with extremely soulful and emotional melodies. Even when Rob Lo goes into party mode, the beats are as soulful as anything else on the album. "Girls Say" would be playing on radios across the nation were it not for the fact that Jacka is an independent artist. The bass line plays the melody this time around, layered with soft bells and well placed female voice samples. "Get Out There" features a smooth R&B hook as well outstanding instrumentation by Rob Lo. Rob Lo's soulful production is the perfect match for Jacka's rap style. Jacka does more than your average rapper, by actually using his voice as an instrument rather than just talking over a track. Don't get it twisted, Jacka isn't doing a Nelly or Ja-Rule impersonation, instead he manages to use both his flow and his actual voice to reflect emotion instead of letting his lyrics just speak for themselves.
The Jack Artist" is full of references to guns, drugs, and sex that people have come to expect from gangsta rappers, but the reality is that Jacka is a gangsta rapping. What he is trying to convey, and usually what most rap fans tend to miss, is the fact that living his lifestyle doesn't stop with the drugs, guns, and money. Behind the things kids tend to glorify are the paranoia and the heart-wrenching decisions to be made. Jacka's justifications of killing on tracks like "Iller Clip" and "Never Equal" aren't an attempt to convince the listener or his religion as much as they are attempts to convince him self that he had no other choice and it was his only option. The entire album reflects the experience of a man trapped in a world where crime and drugs are glorified while his religion and conscience are telling him otherwise. There are times where Jacka completely relishes in his lifestyle, like on "Girls Say," but those moments are balanced with heartfelt wishes to change and do right on tracks like "Kuran." Overall, you can't completely understand Jacka until you hear him for yourself. Even then, chances are you might not connect with him on the same level as I have. But if I was asked in the future to describe what life was like for those trapped in America's ghettos in 2005 I would point to "The Jack Artist" - an album that captures the good, the bad, and the ugly of what too often gets portrayed as a one-sided experience.
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