Sean Merrick, professionally known as Jacky Jasper, Hollywood Street King, H-Bomb and simply, H, is a Canadian-American rap pioneer, funk musician, social media influencer, Hollywood producer and the first Black celebrity blogger to introduce a "word from the street" perspective to pop culture news coverage.[1][2][3] Regarded for his distinct G-funk hip hop sound, H is a renowned musical protege of Ike Turner,[4] with an iconic catalogue of musical works highlighted by historical collaborations with artists including Rick James, Roger Troutman, Bootsy Collins, Ohio Players and The Brides of Funkenstien.[5]
In 1991, as the artist formerly known as Toronto rapper HDV, the "Pimp of the Microphone" emcee made a historical contribution to the revolutionary Can't Repress The Cause Movement.[6][7]
In 1993 -- three years before the 1996 release of Tupac'sJesus-inspiredMakaveli album cover captioned, "In no way is this portrait an expression of disrespect for Jesus Christ,"[8] -- Jacky Jasper marked the release of his album debut as HDV -- an acronym for 'Higher Deeper Values' -- with a socially-charged, Jesus-inspiredkey art album cover that depicted him nailed to the cross above a shocking pictorial of references to the KKK holding up a sign that read "N***ers DIE", alongside a sketched-portrayal of an angry nationalist-feminist-type caricature holding up a sign that read "chauvinist pig!". The fearless visual art statement was the cover that packaged the raw "pimp of the microphone' street-prose of lyrical content presented in rhyme that solidified the artist formerly known as HDV's pioneering role as the first Toronto rapper to openly address the systematic effects of political colonization, racial discrimination and economic oppression -- that he witnessed in Canada, and thereby introduced to the Canadian media and socially conscious Torontohip hop movement. However, despite the raw and innovative artistic expression contributed to Canadian music, the artist formerly known as HDV was promptly blacklisted in Canada and quietly censored off music store shelves (including Sam The Record Man).[9][10][11]
In 1994, Higher Deeper Values, the album, was released thorugh ISBA Records/Sony Records. Recorded at Toronto's Wellesley Sound Studios, album features the productions of Toronto-based music producer Phil Cold and Toronto rappers K-4ce, 10K and Kevin "Ice" White.[12]
In 1996, after being recruited by Eric B to serve as a valuable contributor to the American rap music movement, the censorship of HDV would turn to a situation best described as being a case of that which Canada shunned, American rap innovators recognized and welcomed.[13][14][15][16]
In 1997, H was invited to record his next album in America. The NYC-LA bi-coastal studio production led to the artistic reinvention of HDV to H-Bomb dropping the 1998 studio album titled Narcissism -- a 15 track album featuring Ice T, Coolio, Kool Keith and Domino.[17] The title track of the Narcissism album "Playaz Need No Love," featuring Roger Troutman, charted on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks for 1999 and peaked at number 33.[18]
In 1998, H Bomb and Roger Troutman co-starred in the Las Vegas film production of "Playaz Need No Love," the official music video.[19]
In November 2002, the release of the studio album titled Game presented Jacky Jasper as H-Bomb in the debut of the supergroup KHM, the initials for Kool Keith, H-Bomb and Marc Live,[24]
In 2009, the launch of with the artist known as Jacky Jasper as the face of news site Diary of a Hollywood Street King under his pseudonym Jacky Jasper.[27] Merrick would also become the main contributor to the site.[27] The site was the first to publish Charlie Sheen's HIV status in April 2014.[28]
In the Media
On June 15, 2012, Jacky Jasper appeared on Dateline NBC for the featured investigation into 1990's rapper Timothy Blair, aka Tim Dog.[29] The two-part documentary-stye series titled "The Perfect Catch," credited the Diary of a Hollywood Street King blog platform for serving as a noted "message board" that connected a set of alleged online dating scam victims of Tim Dog.[30][31]
August 2016, mainstream news outlets reported Jacky Jasper[32] had been impersonated by a noted celebrity stalker[33] in order to "get close" to the Kardashian family matriarch, Kris Jenner.[31][34]
↑ Troper, Harold Martin; Weinfeld, Morton (1999). Ethnicity, Politics, and Public Policy: Case Studies in Canadian Diversity. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: University of Toronto Press. pp.72–77. ISBN0802080278.
↑ Starr, Larry; Waterman, Christopher Alan; Hodgson, Jay (2009). Rock: A Canadian Perspective. Oxford University Press. p.391. ISBN0195427610.
↑ Moynihan, Colin (January 6, 2016). "Sheen's path to HIV disclosure". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States. The New York Times. p.A10. Retrieved March 10, 2019– via newspapers.com.
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