Shock G, Frontman for Digital Underground and Rap Legend, Dead at 57

Shock G, best known for founding Digital Underground and his numerous works with the late Tupac Shakur, died in Tampa on Thursday at the age of 57, his father Edward Racker says. While the cause of death is unclear at the moment, TMZ reports there were no signs of trauma. Shock G’s father says police will conduct an autopsy.

His friend and Digital Underground co-founder Chopmaster J confirmed the news via Instagram. “34 years ago almost to the day we had a wild idea we can be a hip hop band take on the world,” he wrote. “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 Humpy Hump and Rest in Peace my brotha Greg Jacobs!!!”

Shock G (born Gregory Jacobs) and Chopmaster J (Jimi C. Dright Jr.) founded Digital Underground in the late 1980s in Oakland, California, but the group’s biggest hit came years later after they released “The Humpty Dance,” which was featured on Sex Packets (1990). The song quickly rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. Jacobs would later go on to work with Tupac, who was signed to the same label as the Digital Underground crew for years. Shock G was featured on his single “I Get Around” and also held a producer credit on his debut album “2Pacalyse Now.”

He spoke on his time with the late rapper in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone. “He was on TNT Records [with us] for four years. He was with Death Row for nine months. So do the math. He did five tours with us, including Japan. Over those three or four years that he was around us, we did a lot of touring and a lot of living together on the tour bus and that’s how we know the man.”

Known for his onstage persona as “Humpty Hump,” the hip hop community mourned the loss on social media as many expressed their condolences. “Please understand that Shock G was so much more than a character,” Jay-Z producer Young Guru tweeted. “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!!”