We’re devastated to learn that hip hop historian, filmmaker, musician, author, and more Sacha Jenkins has passed away. His wife Raquel Cepeda confirmed the sad news to The Hollywood Reporter that he died on Friday morning at his home due to complications from multiple system atrophy. He was 54.
Born in Philadelphia on August 22, 1971, Jenkins went on to publish some of the earliest graffiti zines before co-founding the NYC-based hip hop magazine Ego Trip in 1994. He later published Ego Trip books (1999’s Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists and 2002’s Ego Trip’s Big Book of Racism and launched three Ego Trip television series with VH1 (2005’s Race-O-Rama, 2007’s Ego Trip’s The (White) Rapper Show, and 2008’s Miss Rap Supreme). He authored and co-authored other books over the years as well, including co-authoring the 2008 Eminem biography The Way I Am, and he directed several documentaries, including Netflix’s 2018 hip hop docu-series Rapture, 2019’s Wu Tang: Of Mics and Men, 2021’s Bitchin’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James, 2022’s Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues, 2022’s Everything’s Gonna Be All White, and 2023’s All Up in the Biz. He was also the music editor of Vibe magazine from 1997 to 2000 and more recently was the creative director of Mass Appeal.
As a musician, Jenkins played in the punk bands The White Mandingos (with Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer and Murs), The Wilding Incident (with Danny Diablo of Crown of Thornz), and The 1865.
The list of Sacha Jenkins’ accomplishments goes on and on, and his impact spreads far and wide. See some tributes below from those he inspired.
Rest in peace, Sacha.
RIP Sacha Jenkins
A huge influence on me and someone who accomplished so much in Hip-Hop journalism, TV and elsewhere. Thank you for everything. pic.twitter.com/IO0ToYW2fc
— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive)
RIP Sacha Jenkins
A huge influence on me and someone who accomplished so much in Hip-Hop journalism, TV and elsewhere. Thank you for everything. pic.twitter.com/IO0ToYW2fc
— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
Sacha Jenkins was a nerd’s nerd. Ego Trip Book of Rap Lists, The White Rapper Show, Fresh Dressed, the Wu-Tang doc, the Biz doc, Mass Appeal… Absolutely kept real, scholarly knowledge alive in the age of content. R.I.P.
— Christopher R. Weingarten (@1000TimesYes)
Sacha Jenkins was a nerd’s nerd. Ego Trip Book of Rap Lists, The White Rapper Show, Fresh Dressed, the Wu-Tang doc, the Biz doc, Mass Appeal… Absolutely kept real, scholarly knowledge alive in the age of content. R.I.P.
— Christopher R. Weingarten (@1000TimesYes) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
Sacha Jenkins, one of the greatest journalistic/cultural voices of our generation, has passed away.
An ‘arrogant voice of musical truth’ from a young age, Sacha published magazines, wrote books (notably under the Ego Trip collective), produced/directed epic documentaries, and… pic.twitter.com/eK7YYLy1HC
— Jonathan Shecter (@SheckyGreen)
Sacha Jenkins, one of the greatest journalistic/cultural voices of our generation, has passed away.
An ‘arrogant voice of musical truth’ from a young age, Sacha published magazines, wrote books (notably under the Ego Trip collective), produced/directed epic documentaries, and… pic.twitter.com/eK7YYLy1HC
— Jonathan Shecter (@SheckyGreen) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
RIP Sacha Jenkins
One of the all time legends of rap journalism, from ego trip to Mass Appeal and so many other things, his legacy and influence are undeniable
— Insanul Ahmed (@Incilin)
RIP Sacha Jenkins
One of the all time legends of rap journalism, from ego trip to Mass Appeal and so many other things, his legacy and influence are undeniable
— Insanul Ahmed (@Incilin) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
RIP Sacha Jenkins. This book had a huge effect on me. One of the GOATs of Hip-Hop journalism and creativity. pic.twitter.com/lKYSenuL4q
— DJ Vlad (@djvlad)
RIP Sacha Jenkins. This book had a huge effect on me. One of the GOATs of Hip-Hop journalism and creativity. pic.twitter.com/lKYSenuL4q
— DJ Vlad (@djvlad) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
Sacha Jenkins was a powerful artist, voice, and one of the many great creators of the culture we live in everyday.
I met & worked with him at @MassAppeal for under a year, but there were so many gems given. He always a kind guy.
Rest In Heaven Brother. pic.twitter.com/tOwWRrWMkO
— Killfear® (@KillfearNYC)
Sacha Jenkins was a powerful artist, voice, and one of the many great creators of the culture we live in everyday.
I met & worked with him at @MassAppeal for under a year, but there were so many gems given. He always a kind guy.
Rest In Heaven Brother. pic.twitter.com/tOwWRrWMkO
— Killfear® (@KillfearNYC) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
RIP SACHA JENKINS, ONE OF THE MOST INTEGRAL HIP-HOP JOURNALISTS THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN pic.twitter.com/oMZnJT2De9
— Nicholas Craven (@NicholasCraven_)
RIP SACHA JENKINS, ONE OF THE MOST INTEGRAL HIP-HOP JOURNALISTS THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN pic.twitter.com/oMZnJT2De9
— Nicholas Craven (@NicholasCraven_) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
Bro…Sacha Jenkins. Rest in peace. He’s a pillar of hip hop history. And responsible for a lot. Ego Trip being a big one. But do your research. This is a blow.
— Jonathan Cloud (@JohnCloudThe1st)
Bro…Sacha Jenkins. Rest in peace. He’s a pillar of hip hop history. And responsible for a lot. Ego Trip being a big one. But do your research. This is a blow.
— Jonathan Cloud (@JohnCloudThe1st) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
RIP Sacha Jenkins.
30+ years ago Sacha Jenkins birthed ego trip, BEATDOWN, and a graff zine Graphic Scenes—independently—out of his bedroom in his mother’s house in Astoria, Queens. went on to make acclaimed documentaries on Wu Tang, Louis Armstrong, and Rick James.
a huge… pic.twitter.com/PWTlZJHad1
— Pack Pistol Pazzy (سيف الله) (@vinnie_paz)
RIP Sacha Jenkins.
30+ years ago Sacha Jenkins birthed ego trip, BEATDOWN, and a graff zine Graphic Scenes—independently—out of his bedroom in his mother’s house in Astoria, Queens. went on to make acclaimed documentaries on Wu Tang, Louis Armstrong, and Rick James.
a huge… pic.twitter.com/PWTlZJHad1
— Pack Pistol Pazzy (سيف الله) (@vinnie_paz) May 24, 2025
24, 2025
Sacha Jenkins, RIP: His writing and documentary work on hip-hop informed and illuminated. His focus on Black culture & art was laser sharp. In 2023 Sacha was as our guest on @soundopinions to discuss his excellent Biz Markie doc. Hear it here: https://t.co/eYHtYjfZFM pic.twitter.com/4H6jn9g8Ba
— Greg Kot (@gregkot)
Sacha Jenkins, RIP: His writing and documentary work on hip-hop informed and illuminated. His focus on Black culture & art was laser sharp. In 2023 Sacha was as our guest on @soundopinions to discuss his excellent Biz Markie doc. Hear it here: https://t.co/eYHtYjfZFM pic.twitter.com/4H6jn9g8Ba
— Greg Kot (@gregkot) May 25, 2025
25, 2025
Sacha Jenkins showed so many of us a whole language, how to think and talk about hip hop culture and beyond. RIP, huge loss. pic.twitter.com/VqJyWY7heD
— Medieval Knievel (@atrak)
Sacha Jenkins showed so many of us a whole language, how to think and talk about hip hop culture and beyond. RIP, huge loss. pic.twitter.com/VqJyWY7heD
— Medieval Knievel (@atrak) May 23, 2025
23, 2025
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