Born in San Francisco and raised in the Motor City Detroit, Jacobs career began at the age of 13. His first professional gigs were with some of Motown's leading writers, producers and artists. Including songwriter Sylvia Moy (ìMi Cherie Amourî), singer/songwriter Barrett Strong (Money), and producer Don Davis (Johnny Taylor, The Dramatics, Robin Trower). It was while working with former Miles Davis bassist Michael Henderson fresh out of high school, that Jacobs showed he had a gift for songwriting when he co-authored the Top-Five R&B hit, "Wide Receiver." After a number of years working in the Motown scene Jacobs became one of the core members of Was (Not Was), an eclectic pop band that developed a strong following in the U.S. and abroad during the 1980s. While with the band, Jacobs co-authored the Top-Ten hit "Walk the Dinosaur."
After they disbanded in 1992 he became a member of Soul Mission (a gospel R&B project featuring Tata Vega, Mavis Staples, Booker T Jones and Steve Cropper), with one release for Sony/Epic Records. In 1994 he formed his own outfit The Boneshakers with Was (Not Was) band mate singer Sweet Pea Atkinson finally projecting his vision of funk, blues, R&B, rock and soul into the universe. Releasing two CDs, “Book of Spells” and “Shake the Planet” for Pointblank/Virgin Records. Three more followed “Pouring Gasoline” and “Put Some Booty on It Live, Vol. 1” with former Storyville singer Malford Milligan and then “Vol 2” featuring the original band’s first ever show at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco 1997 all released on Jacobs own Bad Monkey Recordings.
Randy continued his relationship with Pointblank Records President John Wooler after leaving the label co-producing the critically acclaimed I-10 Chronicles series and Bill and Bonnie Hearn for Backporch/Virgin Records. In 2005, Randy released “From Me To You” his first jazz influenced solo instrumental CD on his Bad Monkey Recordings label. With appearances from Mindy Abair, Andre Berry, Rick Braun, Euge Groove, Wendy Moten, Bob Sheppard and Wayman Tisdale, it is a stellar outing.
Jacobs' hard-driving, always-in-the-pocket talent has been sought out by such diverse artists as Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly, Coolio, Warren G and Dr. Dre, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Michael McDonald, Paula Abdul, Jewel, Seal, Earl Klugh, Dave Koz, Nick Lachey, Hillary Duff and many more. 2008 saw a brand new studio CD for the Boneshakers on Novatunes.com and a follow up to his solo CD.