The Jacka
The Jack Artist
(Artist Records)

Breaking out of the Bay Area box, the Jacka stretches beyond Bay-centric rhymes and even collaborates with east-coast emcee Cormega on his second solo album, “The Jack Artist.” Don’t get me wrong, it definitely has all of the Bay qualities and features Bay legends Yukmouth and Keak Da Sneak, as well as his Mob Figaz crew, but take this album to the south, east coast, or anywhere in between, and heads will relate to his gritty realism.

Though he contradicts himself throughout the album shifting from murder to religion, it works as a balancing beam to create a well-rounded album that is both hard and thoughtful at the same time. He does talk about smoking purple and people a lot, but when it comes to Allah or his daughter, the Jacka keeps it humble and introspective. On “Kuran,” he raps: “The world is cold, I need Allah’s help/ How can I guide my seed when I can’t guide myself?”

The Jacka’s laid-back flow is complimented by the head-nod inducing production, thought it lacks the Bay’s signature hyphy bounce the radio has come to love. Even if you don’t agree with the messages he sends through his lyrics, there’s no denying that this album is on point. Fans of the introspective thug rapper will definitely enjoy this album. - Zoneil Maharaj