Digital Underground founder Shock G, aka Humpty Hump, was found dead in a Florida hotel room on Thursday. He was 57.
Shock G’s father, Edward Racker, confirmed his death to TMZ.
Racker told TMZ his son, real name Gregory Jacobs, was found dead in a Tampa hotel room on Thursday. An autopsy is scheduled to determine his cause of death.
Digital Underground’s Chopmaster J paid tribute to Jacob’s in an Instagram post:
“34 years ago almost to the day we had a wild idea we can be a hip hop band and take on the world. through it all the dream became a reality and the reality became a nightmare for some. And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!!”
Jacobs, a rapper, songwriter, and music producer, was best known as the founder of rap/hip-hop group Digital Underground. He also created the group’s “Humpty Dance.”
Jacobs was born in Brooklyn, NY on August 25, 1963. His family traveled around the East Coast before settling in Tampa, Florida.
He relocated to Queens, New York (after his parents’ divorce), where he learned to play the drums.
Upon returning to Tampa, he took a job DJing at a local R&B station. He was the youngest radio personality in central Florida. He was fired for playing the 15-minute long album version of “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic in a 5-minute time slot.
In the 1980s Jacobs moved to Oakland, California, where he founded Digital Underground with Chopmaster J and the late Kenny-K in 1987.
The group had radio success with “Doowutchyalike,” off their debut album, which featured the first appearance of Jacobs’ alter ego, Humpty Hump.
The music video for the album’s second single, “The Humpty Dance,” peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song’s music video also featured a young Tupac Shakur (right), who rapped on the group’s single “Same Song.”
Jacobs returned the favor by producing Shakur’s breakthrough single “I Get Around,” on which he also appears as a featured artist. Jacobs also produced Shakur’s 1995 single “So Many Tears,” off his third studio album, Me Against the World.
As a music producer, Jacobs worked with legends such as Bobby Brown, Dr. Dre and Prince.
Tributes poured in on social media in the hours after the news broke on Thursday.
Digital Underground’s official Twitter page featured a quote by 2Pac about Shock G: “I look back [on my times with Shock G] with the greatest fondness. Those were like some of the best times of my life…”
“I look back [on my times with Shock G] with the greatest fondness. Those were like some of the best times of my life…”
– Tupac
1995RIP Shock G pic.twitter.com/7QxckaJMM2
— 2PAC (@2PAC) April 23, 2021
?? ? R.I.P. #ShockG ?????
The Underground lit up The Game ? Super Talent ? Beautiful Musician Incredible Vision ?Tupac ? Money B. ? Bay Area ? Town ????— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) April 23, 2021
???? ?? ????? #ShockG ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ?? pic.twitter.com/h48lBWSdJR
— PUBLIC ENEMY (@PublicEnemyFTP) April 23, 2021
Shock G is gone. Rest in Power. A pioneer and an innovator. I can’t believe it. My condolences to his friends and family. #ShockG pic.twitter.com/no9jBdAnnK
— Immortal Technique (@ImmortalTech) April 23, 2021
spoke to my people & the words are: Greg wouldn’t want us crying for him. he would want us to toast & have joy. Greg was in pain he is now in that better place. my words are: but we were all kids together. so i’m crying for him. crying for all of it #SHOCKG rest in peace ?? pic.twitter.com/jKEDBklehC
— Danyel Smith (@danamo) April 23, 2021
Please understand that Shock G was so much more than a character. He was a musical genius!!! I wish he got a chance to do something like drink champs. He was a serious musician. Played instruments, changed a sound, introduced 2Pac!!!! So underrated!!
— Young Guru (@Young_Guru) April 23, 2021
Not Shock G, the one who put the satin on your panties! Damn, another hip hop artist gone too soon! #ShockG ?
— Darlene (@darlngal) April 23, 2021
