The Jacka, born Dominic Newton, a Bay Area rapper, was shot and killed on Monday night in East Oakland.

The Jacka Murdered In East Oakland

Newton, 37, was reportedly shot on MacArthur Boulevard near 94th Avenue at 8:14 p.m., and was pronounced dead at the hospital. According to friends, The Jacka was sitting in a van with some friends, rapping and having fun, when the shooting occurred. Reggie Grant, a close fried of Newton’s, told reporters he didn’t think the rapper was the intended target.

“Bullets don’t have no name. I don’t know who did it. He had problems with nobody. He’d give you his shoes off his feet. He gave jobs to lots of people,” Grant told NBC.

Grant said that there were about seven or eight people in the van when the shooting occurred. Newton had stepped outside, and was the only one hit. Grant was not present at the time, but lives across the street and emerged from his house after hearing gunshots.

The Jacka got his start in the late 90s as a member of the Mob Figaz collective and has been working as a rapper ever since. His 2009 album Tear Gas made it to Number 12 on the Billboard R&B Album chart and he owned his own record label, The Artist Records.

“The team has no comment at this time. But we ask for everyone’s prayers for the Jacka’s family, loved ones and the entire Bay Area community,” said Newton’s publicist.

Local fans of the Bay Area celebrity have traveled to Oakland to pay their respects and mourn the rapper.

“My style really comes from the struggle… I’m not trying to make you like what I’m saying – I’m trying to get into your soul,” Jacka said in an interview in 2009.

#RIPJacka

Rip to my bro

A photo posted by Paul Wall The Po Up Poet (@paulwallbaby) on Feb 3, 2015 at 12:21pm PST

O Allah, forgive @jackamobfigaz and elevate his station among those who are guided. Send him along the path of those who came before, and forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds. Enlarge for him his grave and shed light upon him in it. Ameen!

A video posted by Freeway (@phillyfreeway) on Feb 3, 2015 at 1:52pm PST

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.