Digital Underground's Shock G dead at 57

By Alyssa Wilson Published: April 23, 2021

Digital Underground’s Shock G dead at 57

In this Feb. 25, 2008, file photo, Greg "Shock G" Jacobs, leader for Digital Underground, performs The Humpty Dance during a halftime appearance in the Detroit Pistons' NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Denver. Shock G, who blended whimsical wordplay with reverence for '70s funk as leader of the off-kilter hip-hop group Digital Underground, has died. He was 57. Nzazi Malonga, a longtime friend who served as head of security and helped manage the group, said the rapper-producer was found unresponsive Thursday, April 22, 2021, in a hotel room in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Rapper Shock G, born Greg Jacobs, from the hip-hop group Digital Underground died Thursday at 57.

The news was announced by his groupmate Chopmaster J on Instagram, stating:

“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!!!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chopmaster J Aka Big Brutha (@chopmasterj)

Edward Racker, the rapper’s father, told TMZ that he was found dead in a Tampa hotel room. No cause of death was announced, but an autopsy will be performed.

Digital Underground was comprised of Shock G, Jimi “Chopmaster J” Dright and Kenneth “Kenny K” Waters, XXL reported.

The group rose to fame in the 90s and made the Billboard Top 10 with their hit “The Humpty Dance.”

“‘The Humpty Dance’ spoke to all the people that were like him — the fat people, the unattractive people. If you moved like him, you could be whatever you want,” his friend Nzazi Malonga told the Associated Press.

According to XXL, along with being the lead vocalist for Digital Underground, Shock G worked closely with Tupac, Monie Love, KRS-One, Dr. Dre and Prince.

Many reacted to the news of Shock G’s death on social media, including BNC’s Marc Lamont Hill, who covered the breaking news on Black News Tonight.

“I’m genuinely surprised,” Hill said. “For those out in the Bay Area, he was a legend. For those who are hip-hop heads from the 90s, he was a giant to us and it’s shocking to me to see these types of stories come out week after week.”

The news of Shock G’s death comes after the recent deaths of Black Rob and DMX.

Breaking news comes in as #BlackNewsTonight with @marclamonthill closes. Rapper Shock G of Digital Underground has passed away at the age of 57. This is the latest in a string of deaths among some of the 90s biggest rappers. pic.twitter.com/5UrGKxwIPB

— BNC (@BNCNews) April 23, 2021

i don’t have something long and extended to say about shock g, but one thing i an make clear: that man was a legitimate visionary genius.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) April 23, 2021

RIP Shock G. Thanks for the joy you gave me. Rest well ??? pic.twitter.com/U9DedgoEcz

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) April 23, 2021

Before DOOM and Quasimoto, the throne of rap alter egos solely belonged to Shock G’s Humpty Hump. Hip-Hop’s libidinous id, perfectly cast against Shock G’s conscious leadership in Digital Undergeound. Keeper of the funk, house party igniter, simply never bested. pic.twitter.com/bE8Svk6kj2

— Ghostly (@ghostly) April 23, 2021

Rest up? shock G /Humpty Hump 1963-2021
??????????#ripshockg #riphumptyhump #legend #legendary #gonebutneverforgotten #bayarea pic.twitter.com/IBgmJU1oNR

— E40 Terms & Conditions (@E40) April 23, 2021