Johnny "J"
| Johnny "J" | |
|---|---|
 Johnny J in his studio, circa early 2008 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnny Lee Jackson |
| Born | August 28, 1969 Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Died | October 3, 2008 (aged 39) |
| Genres | Hip Hop, Dancehall, gangsta funk, R&B |
| Occupations | Rapper, Record Producer, Songwriter |
| Years active | 1987–2008 |
| Labels | Death Row, Interscope, Solar, Epic, Jive |
| Associated acts | 2Pac, Tatyana Ali, Napoleon, MC Hammer, D'Angelo |
| Website | MySpace |
Johnny Lee Jackson (August 28, 1969 - October 3, 2008),[1][2] commonly known in the music industry as Johnny "J", was a Mexican multi-platinum songwriter, music producer and rapper who was perhaps best remembered for his production on Tupac Shakur's albums All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World, as well as many of Shakur's subsequent posthumous albums.[3] He was born in Juárez, Mexico, in 1969 and raised in South Central Los Angeles. Johnny "J" was co-owner and CEO of Klock Work Entertainment.
Contents |
[edit] Early Productions
He produced the 1990 single "Knockin' Boots" for his classmate Candyman's album Ain't No Shame in My Game, which went platinum thanks to the single.[4] He also produced the early work of recording artist Shady Montage who eventually went on to become Shade Sheist.
[edit] Tupac, Death Row Records and Solo album (1993—1997)
After the numerous nominations for Candyman, Johnny J met 2Pac and recorded nine tracks with him in three days[citation needed]. Following these recordings Johnny produced "Pour Out a Little Liquor" which appeared on the Above The Rim soundtrack and 2Pac's Thug Life album. The soundtrack eventually went Double Platinum and won the Soundtrack of The Year Award at the 1995 Source Awards.[5]
Johnny produced the track "Death Around The Corner" which ended up on 2Pac's third solo album entitled Me Against The World That album eventually went to the top of the Billboard 200.[3]
Johnny J recorded and released his debut rap album I Gotta Be Me in 1994, which spawned two singles: "Get Away From Me" and "Dig Um' Out". A music video was shot for "Get Away From Me". Jackson produced the entire album, and even showcased his singing abilities on such tracks as "Love's the Way". The beat for "Better Off" would later be recycled for 2Pac's "Picture Me Rollin'" in his 1996 album All Eyez On Me.[6] I Gotta Be Me is now out of print and hard to find.
After 2Pac's release in late 1995, the two began collaborating for 2Pac's Death Row Records debut All Eyez On Me.[3] The double album was released early next year, and Johnny J produced the chart topping hits "All Bout U", "How Do U Want It" and "Life Goes On".[7] He also produced "Thug Passion", "Shorty Wanna Be A Thug", "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch", "Run tha Streetz", "All Eyez on Me", "What'z Ya Phone #" and "Picture Me Rollin'"[3]
The album is one of the most influential albums in hip hop history, and according to the RIAA, 9 million copies of the album were sold in the United States alone by June 18, 1998.[8]
[edit] Miscellaneous ventures (1997—2006)
Prior to Tupac Shakur's death Johnny produced over 150 tracks for the rapper, a great deal of them unreleased.[9] Many of Johnny's collaborations with Shakur ended up being remixed for his posthumous releases such as "Until the End of Time", "Better Dayz", and "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)", while only a select few remained in their original form.
Johnny had composed a few music scores in such films as Gridlock'd.[3] The first artist Johnny collaborated with after 2Pac's death was Bizzy Bone from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Johnny produced "Thugz Cry" and "Nobody Can Stop Me" off of the Heavenz Movie album, a release that went Platina. In 2009 Klock Work Entertainment confirmed that Johnny produced a whole album for Bizzy, but it never got released.[3]
Along with Napoleon from the Outlawz and Val Young, Johnny released "Never Forget" in 2004, a tribute song to 2Pac. A music video was shot for the song, and includes many guest appearances from many of Shakur's close friends.
[edit] Later life
In mid 2006, Johnny J premiered a 10 year anniversary Tupac tribute track on a charitable compilation by Mutulu Shakur entitled A 2Pac Tribute: Dare 2 Struggle. The song was written by Johnny and performed by a new artist working with Klock Work at the time named T-Jay.
In mid 2008, Iranian-Canadian rapper Imaan Faith collaborated with Deejay Ra to release Imaan's debut album Let The Truth Be Known on Universal Music Canada, featuring an opening track with Johnny J entitled "Goin 2 Da Top", which was recorded at Johnny's studio in California in mid 2006. Johnny's name was mentioned in billboard, radio and TV advertisements across Canada as one of the album's producers during a 3 month advertising campaign, and the album charted at #6 on the Nielsen SoundScan top ten in Canada the week of its March 11 release.[citation needed]
Johnny J had been recording for most of 2008 with actress/singer Tatyana Ali on her sophomore music album The Light.[10]
Johnny J died on October 3, 2008 at the age of 39, while serving a sentence for DWI in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility located in Los Angeles, California. He allegedly jumped off an upper tier of the prison in an apparent suicide.[11]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo album
- I Gotta Be Me - 1994
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- 1969 births
- 2008 deaths
- American people who died in prison custody
- American rappers of Mexican descent
- Hispanic and Latino American rappers
- American hip hop record producers
- Mexican emigrants to the United States
- Musicians who committed suicide
- People from Ciudad Juárez
- People who committed suicide in prison custody
- Prisoners who died in California detention
- Rappers from Los Angeles, California
- Suicides by jumping from a height
- Suicides in California
