Combat Jack

Reginald Joseph "Reggie" Ossé (July 8, 1964 – December 20, 2017),[1] known professionally as Combat Jack, was an Haitian-American hip hop music attorney, executive, journalist, editor and podcaster.[2] He was the former managing editor of The Source. He was the host of the podcast The Combat Jack Show and founding partner of the Loud Speakers Podcast network. He was also the host of the Complex TV show version of the Combat Jack Show podcast.

Combat Jack
Born
Reginald Joseph Ossé

(1964-07-08)July 8, 1964
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 20, 2017(2017-12-20) (aged 53)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesCombat Jack
Occupation
  • Attorney
  • executive
  • journalist
  • editor
  • podcaster
Years active1989–2017

Career

A first-generation Haitian-American, Ossé was born in Brooklyn, New York[3] on July 8, 1964, and graduated from Cornell University.[1] There at the university, he became a member of Kappa Xi chapter of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. He later received his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.[4] He represented hip-hop producers and entertainers, such as Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Roc-a-fella Records, DJ Clark Kent, Nice & Smooth, Capone-N-Noreaga, Deric "D. Dot" Angelettie, Ski Beatz, and others, starting from an internship in legal affairs for Def Jam Recordings[5] in 1989. After 12 years of practicing law in the music industry, he retired and wrote Bling,[6] a book documenting hip-hop's history and fascination with jewelry. He also served as the Vice President of Audio/Music DVD at MTV Networks[7] and later managing editor of The Source.[8] Then with Gimlet Media, a podcast network, he hosted a show called Mogul about the life and death of hip hop executive Chris Lighty.[9][2]

The Combat Jack Show

Ossé chose the name Combat Jack from the book Generation Kill, initially using it as a pseudonym for commenting on Missouri-based blogger Bryan Crawford's site. In August 2010, he launched a podcast by the same name, first aired on PNC Radio[10] The internet radio show was dedicated to hip hop discussions and interviews. Combat Jack's co-hosts include Dallas Penn, Premium Pete, DJ Benhameen, AKing, and Just Blaze.

In 2013, The Combat Jack Show became the flagship of a network of podcasts founded by Ossé known as the Loud Speakers Network,[11] which also includes The Read, hosted by Kid Fury and Crissle,[11] The Brilliant Idiots, and FanBros, hosted by DJ Benhameen.[12]

Over his life, Ossé also blogged for XXL magazine, as well as his own website.

Death

Combat Jack died at a hospital from colon cancer in Brooklyn on the morning of December 20, 2017,[3][13] two months after announcing he had been diagnosed with the cancer.[14]

References
  1. Bromwich, Jonah Engel (2017-12-21). "Combat Jack, Hip-Hop Lawyer Turned Podcast Pioneer, Dies at 53". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  2. "Reggie 'Combat Jack' Ossé, Hip-Hop Journalist And Podcaster, Dies At 53". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  3. Knopper, Steve (20 December 2017). "Remembering Reggie 'Combat Jack' Ossé, Who Turned A Passion For Music Into a Pioneering Podcast Career". Billboard.
  4. Westhoff, Ben (11 March 2015). "Meet Combat Jack: how hip-hop's podcast king gets artists to open up". The Guardian.
  5. Sanchez, Andre (4 July 2009). "An Interview with Reggie Osse". Limité Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  6. Ossé, Reggie; Tolliver, Gabriel A. (2006). Bling: The Hip-Hop Jewelry Book. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 1582345589.
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-07-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "The Source Magazine and TheSource.com Announce New Managing Editor". PR Newswire. 11 January 2011.
  9. "Mogul". Gimlet Media. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
  10. Cantor, Paul. "The Story of Combat Jack, Hip-Hop's Flagship Podcaster". Vulture. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  11. Sands, Darren (24 July 2013). "Kid Fury: The Kid Stays in the Picture: Kid Fury's Journey From YouTuber to Black Twitter Kingmaker - Pop-culture truth-teller rides the podcast wave". The New York Observer. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  12. "Combat Jack – S ∆ M M U S - OFFICIAL". Sammusmusic.com. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  13. "Hip-Hop Legend Combat Jack Has Died". Spin.com. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  14. Parker, Najja (20 December 2017). "Fans and celebrities reflect on legacy of Combat Jack after news of his death". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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