Johnny Lee Jackson (August 28, 1969 – October 3, 2008) was a Mexican-American multi-platinum songwriter, music producer and rapper best known for his early career with Death Row Records, and for his work with 2Pac on Me Against the World and All Eyez on Me, as well as 2Pac's posthumously released albums.
He was born in Juárez, Mexico, in 1969 and raised in South Los Angeles.
Johnny "J" was co-owner and CEO of Klock Work Entertainment Corp.
1980
Johnny was given a full scholarship to attend The Berklee College of Music (in Boston) wherein he received a full music scholarship, which he declined to accept, in the mid-1980s.
1987
After graduating high school in 1987, Johnny got his big break, producing "Knockin' Boots" for Candyman and his entire album "Ain't No Shame In My Game".
1989
He produced his classmate Candyman's 1989 EP Hip Hop Addict and his 1990 single "Knockin' Boots" for his classmate Candyman's album Ain't No Shame in My Game, which went platinum thanks to the single.
He also produced the early work of recording artist Shady Montage who eventually went on to become Shade Sheist.
After the numerous nominations for Candyman, Johnny J met 2Pac and recorded nine tracks with him in three days.
Following these recordings Johnny produced "Pour Out a Little Liquor" which appeared on the Above the Rim soundtrack and 2Pac's Thug Life album.
1990
The song went platinum and reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in summer 1990, pushing Candyman's debut album, Ain't No Shame In My Game, into gold status.
1992
Johnny toured the world with Candyman until 1992.
Early in 1992, Johnny "J" married Capucine Cantrell.
They have two children together named Zhani and Niamyja and one from a previous relationship, Malaysia.
1993
In early 1993, Big Syke, a member of 2Pac's group Thug Life introduced Johnny to 'Pac.
They quickly gelled, recording "Pour Out a Little Liquor", for the Above the Rim soundtrack, and "Death Around the Corner," which would appear on Me Against the World.
1994
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".
1995
The two had a loving and business relationship, and in 1995 they formed KLOCK WORK Entertainment together.
The partnership was derailed, though, when Tupac was sent to prison in February 1995.
After his release that October, the pair reunited at Can-Am Studios in L.A..
Tupac felt very secure with him in the studio.
2Pac and Johnny J recorded more than a hundred songs together—11 of them, including "How Do U Want It" and "All About U", ended up on All Eyez on Me; the rest composed the bulk of 2Pac's posthumous work.
Throughout producer Johnny J's career, he had sold over 100 million albums.
The soundtrack eventually went Double Platinum and won the Soundtrack of The Year Award at the 1995 Source Awards.
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.
After 2Pac's release in late 1995, the two began collaborating for 2Pac's Death Row Records debut All Eyez On Me.
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".
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
1996
The beat for "Better Off" would later be recycled for 2Pac's "Picture Me Rollin in his 1996 album All Eyez On Me. I Gotta Be Me is now out of print and hard to find.
1998
The album is one of the most influential albums in hip hop history, and according to the RIAA, nine million copies of the album were sold in the United States alone by June 18, 1998.
According to 2pacworld.com, Johnny J. "co-wrote and helped produce 11 songs on All Eyez on Me and was never paid the $100,000 advance or the per song royalties of 3% he was supposed to receive."
2008
They were married until his untimely death in 2008.
2010
Johnny "J" was raised on 103rd and Budlong in South Central, Los Angeles, by his adoptive parents.
His father, John Sr., was a mechanic by trade who worked for the naval shipyards and now works for the U.S. Defense Department.
His mother, Lidia, was a bilingual school teacher.
His parents bought him a drum set as a kid, and allowed him to create a makeshift studio in their garage.
Johnny's interest in hip-hop escalated while he was at Washington Preparatory High School.
He played on the drum line and hit it off with the aspiring rapper Candell "Candyman" Manson; future artists such as Yo-Yo, WC and Sir Jinx, of Da Lench Mob, and F. Gary Gray famed Director also attended Washington Prep around that time, where he played drums in the high school marching band and took music theory classes.
