While cleaning out some old documents this past Tuesday, I ran across pages from an old Source magazine. They weren’t anything truly memorable, just old pages from a column called “Reality Check,” circa 1997, that I had hung onto. I was really feeling my own mortality as someone who has never known a world without hip-hop and was now watching some of the people who shaped my generation pass away. DMX died on April 9, 2021. Black Rob April 17, 2021. There was something that I was still in denial about, watching Redman and Method Man perform on Verzuz on April 20, 2021. I wanted to believe that my generation wasn’t letting go of its hold in hip-hop just yet.
Then, today, I read the reports that Oakland’s own Gregory Jacobs, more famously known as Shock G of Digital Underground, had died and I could not deny it anymore. He was 57. The year 2021 was coming for my generation and this was a pill that was hard to swallow. Generation X got to experience when Digital Underground’s most recognized album, Sex Packets, was released in 1990.
Generation X got to crowd around a television set to watch Shock G on MTV in fake glasses and nose perform the “The Humpty Dance” as his alter ego, Humpty Hump, creating a dance craze and another widespread movement for the Bay Area. Digital Underground introduced not only Oakland, but the world, to Tupac Shakur on “Same Song.” Digital Underground gave us “Freaks of The Industry,” rendering every middle school dance I ever attended needing to be chaperoned heavily. All these memories reminded me that my generation, Generation X, wasn’t losing another one we grew up on. We were losing someone we grew up with. This one truly hurts differently.
Here are some of the Bay Area’s own reacting to news of our Shock G:
Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Toné! simply writes, “Hometown family at rest” with a photo of Jacobs.
MC Hammer
MC Hammer tweets, “R.I.P. #ShockG. The Underground lit up The Game…Super Talent…Beautiful Musician Incredible Vision…Tupac…Money B….Bay Area…Town”
Mistah F.A.B.
Mistah F.A.B. (Stanley Petey Cox) writes on Instagram, “WE WOULDNT HAVE KNOWN PAC,IF IT WASNT FOR SHOCK………”
Whiz Wizard
Whiz Wizard writes in a thread: “Digital Underground’s music sounds like an invitation to a party (or other salacious group activities). Like the songs feel like someone turned the wildest, most colorful hand drawn flyer into a the best rap song you’ve ever heard in your life. Thats how talented Shock G was….Remarkable. Shock G really was a genius. A real musical savant. But the legend of Humpty still blows my mind. There was a time when people would whisper that he and Humpty were possibly the same person like it was was a myth. Helping spread awareness of the band via rumor. GENIUS…If you have ever used rap music as an example for what you understand about the lives of Black men in particular. Then current events should now lead many to understand how the health of Black men should be taken seriously. I want to see my heroes grow old. Same for my peers.”
Jeff Chang
Writer Jeff Chang notes, “RIP Shock G. An unsung genius and big hearted brother, indeed.”
Chuy Gomez
Bay Area DJ Chuy Gomez shares on Instagram:
“Rest in peace to one of Oakland’s most original.
Gregory Jacobs aka Shock G
aka Humpty Hunp
Always proud knowing he and Digital Underground were from and represented #OaklandUSA“
Sarah Allen
Sarah Allen on Instagram posts an iconic photo of Shock G, with the caption, “This one hits too close to home. 😢🙏🏽 Rest in peace Shock G! #townbiz#digitalunderground #humptydance#yayarea“
Pendarvis Harshaw
Oakland’s own journalist Pendarvis Harshaw remembers a moment from college that made him feel at home, while far away from home: “Freshman year at @HowardU, there was a plaque from Digital Underground’s Sex Packets album on a wall inside of the School of Communications’ office. I don’t recall whose/ why/ where exactly, but I know when I saw it I felt a taste of home… #RIPShockG. #RIPHumptyHump.”
Brandy Collins is a writer and public services advocate born and raised in the Bay Area. She is a 2019-2020 cohort graduate from the Maynard Institute for Journalism, a correspondent for Oakland Voices, a blogger and the funny one in numerous group chats. She is concerned with civic engagement and leadership development toward making public works more efficient for the people. Brandy is full of Scorpio magic and self-proclaimed Professional Aunty. Follow her on Twitter @msbrandycollins or Instagram @story_soul_collecter.
R.I.P Your were truly a great talent and musician, although the ( Humpty Hump ) idea came out of Tampa.
R.I.P Shock. You’re a true artist that took your music serious. When your song(humpy hump) came out, I enjoyed singing and learning how to do your dance. I’m for your fam, friends and fans.