Rodney Jackson

Growing up on the sounds of Earth, Wind, and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Chic, Chicago house music, and Prince, Rodney Jackson began his journey as a music producer/ keyboardist when a family friend, (and Star Search finalist) Marshall Titus, invited him to a session at Chicago's famed PS Studios on the South Side. In 1984, Jackson met producer Tom "Tom Tom 84" Washington (Earth, Wind, and Fire, Phil Collins, Rodney Franklin) who patiently listened to his demo made on two tape decks. Washington advised him to learn chord structure and told him to come back once the songs were done.

Over the next five years Jackson honed his skills playing in various bands in Chicago and Phoenix, AZ. In 1989, he co-wrote "Ecstasy" with Marshall Titus on the London-based Zing Records. In 1991, he co-wrote and co-produced A&M Records recording artist, Cece Peniston's track "Finally" (Charted #5-Billboard Hot 100).[1] Other tracks produced or written on the album include "Inside That I Cried" (Charted #94-Billboard Hot 100),[2] "Should’ve Been You", "You Win I Win We Lose", and "Virtue". The album went on to become Gold and garnered Jackson a BMI songwriter's award in 1993.

Jackson also signed Peniston's backup singer and friend, Malaika, to a deal with A&M Records in 1992. The result was Malaika's debut single, "So Much Love" (Charted #55-Billboard Hot 100)[3] from her album, "Sugar Time". Another song from the album, "Something New" was used in Robert Townsend's movie, "Meteor Man". Jackson spent the next few years working as a keyboardist and played on several remixes for artists such as Madonna's "Love Don’t Live Here Anymore" (Charted #16-Billboard Dance Club Play),[4] Markus Schulz, and Alana Dante’. Jackson's production and record company, Urban Tracks Entertainment, has produced artists on major and independent labels including A&M, Columbia, Motown, London Records, Tommy Boy, Epic, Atlantic, and Warner Bros.

In July 1996, Jackson founded "The Phoenix Underground Beat" and later changed the name to The PUB Report. As a tabloid magazine and website, The PUB Report served as an independent and major label promotional music news publication in Chicago and Phoenix. In 2014, singer Brandon Michael tapped R.K. Jackson to help produce and write on his debut album, "Timeless", which spawned the record "Crush". Jackson and Michael teamed up once more for the release of the single "Too Far To Let Go" in September 2016.