Digital Underground

Digital Underground was formed in 1987 in Oakland, California, by Gregory “Shock G” Jacobs, Kenneth “Kenny-K” Waters, and Jimi “Chopmaster J” Dright. Heavily influenced by 1970s funk bands, the group integrated extensive sampling and live instrumentation into their music. Shock G, also known as Humpty Hump, was the group’s leader and central figure, with Money-B being another consistent member throughout their history. The group quickly gained recognition for their distinct sound and humorous lyrical style.

The band’s debut album, “Sex Packets,” released in 1990, achieved platinum status following the success of singles like “Doowutchyalike” and “The Humpty Dance.” The latter, a comedic dance track featuring Shock G’s alter ego Humpty Hump, reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. Digital Underground also played a crucial role in the early career of Tupac Shakur, who first appeared with the group as a dancer and hype man, and later featured on their tracks. Their second release, “This Is an EP Release” (1991), was certified Gold and included songs like “Same Song,” which featured Tupac’s debut, and was included in the film “Nothing But Trouble.”

Digital Underground continued to release albums such as “Sons of the P” (1991), which also achieved Gold certification and notably included George Clinton on the title track, and subsequent albums like “The Body-Hat Syndrome” (1993), “Future Rhythm” (1996), and “Who Got the Gravy?” (1998). They toured extensively across Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. until 2008. Although Shock G passed away in 2021, the group continues to perform, maintaining their legacy in hip hop.