Digital Underground

Last updated
Digital Underground
Chopmaster J on stage with Digital Underground.jpg
Chopmaster J on stage with Digital Underground
Background information
Origin Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres Alternative hip hop, West Coast hip hop, funk
Years active1987–2008
Labels
Past members
  • Shock G (deceased)
  • Kenny K (deceased)
  • Chopmaster J
  • DJ Fuze
  • Money-B
  • Jeremy "DJ-JZ" Jackson
  • 2Pac (deceased)
  • DJ Nu-Stylez
  • Cleetis "Clee" Mack
  • Mack
  • 2Fly Eli
  • rAN/D (Randy Brooks)
  • Michael Webster
  • Kent Racker
  • Nzazi Malonga
  • Schmoovy-Schmoov (deceased)
  • Ramone "Pee Wee" Gooden
  • Saafir
  • Razzle
  • Dazzle
  • Esinchill
  • BINC
  • Young Mass
  • Trace Ellington
  • Ocea Savage
  • Metaphysical
  • Numskul
  • Mac M&M
  • Stretch (deceased)
  • Majesty
  • K-Low
  • Dialect Lector
  • Eric "Kenya Gruve" Baker
  • Boni Boyer (deceased)
  • Mystic
  • DOT
  • Roniece Levias
  • Big Money Odis
  • Kim Morgan
  • MC Clever

Digital Underground was an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Their personnel changed and rotated with each album and tour.

Contents

Digital Underground's leader and mainstay was Gregory "Shock G" Jacobs (also known as Humpty Hump). Shock G formed the group in 1987 with Jimi "Chopmaster J" Dright of Berkeley, California, and Tampa hip-hop radio deejay Kenneth "Kenny-K" Waters. [1]

Heavily influenced by the various funk bands of the 1970s, Digital Underground sampled such music frequently, which became a defining element of West Coast rap. As "Rackadelic", Jacobs designed album covers and cartoon-laced liner notes, in homage to Parliament-Funkadelic album designs. Digital Underground is also notable for launching the career of member Tupac Shakur, as well as spinning off side projects and solo acts including Raw Fusion, Saafir, and singer Mystic. [2]

Following the release of their "Doowutchyalike" single and video in the summer of 1989, the band gained popularity with their song "The Humpty Dance" in 1990. Digital Underground toured nearly every year until 2008; this consisted of live shows in Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the U.S. While the group's origins lay mostly in Oakland and Berkeley, California, various characters and voices from around the U.S and U.K. appeared on the band's albums. Shock G and Money-B were the only individuals to appear on every album. Other recurring key contributors were David "DJ Fuze" Elliot, and deejay/producer Jeremy "J-Beats" Jackson, who both assisted Jacobs in developing the sound. [2]

After approximately 20 years of touring, Shock G announced that the group would officially disband in 2008. Shortly after that announcement was made, the group also confirmed that their May 2008 album ..Cuz a D.U. Party Don't Stop! would be their last studio effort. [3]

Following the death of Jacobs in 2021, Dright announced the formation of Digital Underground Next Generation, fronted by his son, Chasen “Son of the Underground” Dright on Oakland’s Digital Underground Day on August 25, 2021. [4] [5]

History

Formation

Jacobs spent most of his youth in Tampa, Florida and New York City. Founded in 1987, the group's image was originally more militant, and was intended to be a tribute to social activists The Black Panthers. However, when groups like Public Enemy and N.W.A rose to prominence, Jacobs chose to take the image in a more whimsical and upbeat direction.

Jacobs met Dright at a San Leandro, California music store in 1987, where Jacobs sold Dright a keyboard. Dright was interested in hip-hop and Jacobs was interested in Dright’s father’s studio, where he played funk and jazz. The two bonded over their mutual internet in bands like Parliament and Funkadelic, eventually forming the band. Dright, a native of Berkeley, believes the “eclecticism” of the Bay Area was an essential influence on Digital Underground. [4]

Sex Packets

Sex Packets , the group's debut album, was released in early 1990 following the success of their two previous singles, which were included on the album. "Doowutchyalike," a moderate club hit, debuted the previous year, followed in January by the more successful song "The Humpty Dance", a humorous dance number that reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 on the R&B charts, and #1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. It was rapped by Shock G's alter ego Humpty Hump, and featured a drum track with over 50 confirmed usages in other songs. Sex Packets features P-Funk samples, jazz-influenced interludes, and a combination of samples and live instrumentation, earning it positive reviews and platinum sales.

This Is an EP Release

This Is an EP Release is the RIAA Gold certified second Digital Underground release, from which two songs, "Tie the Knot" and "Same Song" were featured in the film Nothing But Trouble starring Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, and John Candy. "Tie The Knot," features jazzy piano tracks and a comedic interpretation of "Bridal Chorus". "Same Song" has an organ solo and improvised organ bits throughout the song, making it one of hip hop's first singles to successfully integrate live instrumentation with music samples. Tupac Shakur made his debut on the latter song and portrayed an African king in the video. Tupac also can be heard joking around on the remixed version of "The Way We Swing" as a background vocalist, adding humorous ad-libs between the verses. Tupac first began to appear on stage with the group as one of its dancers and "hype men".

Sons of the P

The group's second full album featured two singles, "No Nose Job" and "Kiss You Back", the latter of which featured multi-layered choruses and background vocals sung by Boni Boyer, who briefly worked with Digital Underground shortly after her stint with Prince's Sign of the Times/Love Sexy band. [6] Despite the fact that a choir of singers were portrayed in the video, the actual studio singing was exclusively Boni on all tracks, excluding the male voices. [7] It has been mistakenly reported that "Kiss You Back" was co-written and co-performed by George Clinton, [8] but his name appears in the writers credit due to a sample of "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic being used. He did, however, actively participate in the writing and recording of the title track "Sons of the P", which he also contributed vocals to, and which marked one of the earliest studio guest appearances by Clinton on a Hip Hop release, [9] which is preceded only by Kurtis Blow's "Magilla Gorilla" released in 1986. [10] Both the album and the "Kiss You Back" single were each certified Gold by the RIAA.

The Body-Hat Syndrome

With the leading single "The Return of the Crazy One," and its accompanying X-rated video, which was reworked for public consumption, gaining positive feedback, the rest of The Body-Hat Syndrome unfurled to less than outstanding crossover commercial acclaim. The album's second single, an anti-racism cultural awareness politico called "Wussup Wit the Luv," featured a solo from Funkadelic guitarist Michael Hampton, as well as a verse and video appearance from Tupac Shakur. This would be the last time Tupac appeared on any Digital Underground release, while lead rappers Saafir and Clee were added to the band's line-up. This album also features "The Humpty Dance Awards", the group's humorous shout-out to the artists who sampled the Humpty Dance prior to 1993.

Future Rhythm

Future Rhythm , the group's fourth full album, would be their first independent release, including two songs that were featured in the Wayans brothers' film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood : "Food Fight", featuring Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and "We Got More" with Luniz. The album also contains an early performance from rapper Sly Boogy, while he was still a member of the Black Spooks, who appeared on the song "Fool Get a Clue." [11]

Who Got the Gravy?

In 1998, eight years after the group's first album, Digital Underground released Who Got the Gravy? , which reached #91 on the Top 200 R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Digital Underground being a West Coast act, the album intentionally featured several East Coast rappers at a time when the East vs. West rivalry was active, in an attempt to both ignore and ridicule it. The guests included New York City natives Big Pun, Biz Markie and KRS-One, and introduced Whuteva and Stylez, while also introducing west coast bay area newcomers Esinchill and female emcee Mystic.

..Cuz A D.U. Party Don't Stop!

Digital Underground's final studio album, ..Cuz a D.U. Party Don't Stop! , was released on May 20, 2008, although a substantial portion of it was recorded at a live show from 2005. Shortly before its release, the group embarked on an indefinite hiatus. Money-B has stated that Shock G expressed interest in writing a book and exploring music that the latter would deem unfit for the Digital Underground name. [12]

On May 18, 2010, The Greenlight EP was released, which features some previously unreleased Digital Underground tracks. [13]

Discography

Albums

EPs

Soundtracks

Compilations

Singles

YearSinglePeak positionAlbum
US
[14] 		US R&B
[15] 		US Dance
[16] 		US Radio
[17] 		AUS
[18] [19] 		NZ
[20] 		NL
[21] 		UK
[22]
1988"Underwater Rimes"————————Sex Packets
1989"Doowutchyalike"———————79
1990"The Humpty Dance"11720————80
"Doowutchyalike (Remix) / Packet Man"—29——139———
"Packet Man (The C.J. Mackintosh Remixes)" (Europe only)————————
"Freaks of the Industry" (US promo only)————————
1991"Same Song"——1561———52This Is An E.P. Release
"Nuttin' Nis Funky" (US only)————————
"Kiss You Back"4013—509731——Sons Of The P
1992"No Nose Job"—28————42—
1993"The Return of the Crazy One"—77——————The "Body-Hat" Syndrome
1994"Wussup Wit The Luv"—99——————
1996"Oregano Flow"—75——————Future Rhythm
"Walk Real Kool" (US only)————————
1998"Wind Me Up" (US promo only)————————Who Got The Gravy
"The Mission" (US promo only)————————
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

Videos

DVDs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupac Shakur</span> American rapper (1971–1996)

Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He is widely considered one of the most influential and successful rappers of all time. Shakur is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities, and he is considered a symbol of activism against inequality.

West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the west coast of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the early to-mid 1990s with the birth of G-funk and the emergence of record labels such as Suge Knight and Dr. Dre's Death Row Records, Ice Cube's Lench Mob Records, the continued success of Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, Aftermath Records belonging to Dr. Dre, and others.

<i>Me Against the World</i> 1995 studio album by 2Pac

Me Against the World is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and poverty.

<i>2Pacalypse Now</i> 1991 studio album by 2Pac

2Pacalypse Now is the debut studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on November 12, 1991, by Interscope. 2Pacalypse Now is Tupac's commentary on contemporary social issues facing American society, such as racism, police brutality, poverty, black on black crime, and teenage pregnancy. It featured three singles: "Brenda's Got a Baby", "Trapped", and "If My Homie Calls".

<i>Tupac: Resurrection</i> (soundtrack) 2003 soundtrack album by Tupac

Tupac: Resurrection is a soundtrack album for the Academy Award-nominated documentary of the same name. It was released on November 14, 2003 by Amaru Entertainment and Interscope Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shock G</span> American rapper (1963–2021)

Gregory Edward Jacobs, known professionally as Shock G and by his alter ego Humpty Hump, was an American rapper and musician who was best known as the lead vocalist of the hip hop group Digital Underground. He was responsible for Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance", 2Pac's breakthrough single "I Get Around", and co-producer of 2Pac's debut album 2Pacalypse Now.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Humpty Dance</span> 1990 single by Digital Underground

"The Humpty Dance" is a song by the American rap group Digital Underground from their debut album Sex Packets. Released as the second single from the album in January 1990, it reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. The song is sung by Shock G's alter ego, "Humpty Hump", marking the character's second musical appearance; the first was Digital Underground's "Doowutchyalike," a pre-album video-single released in the spring of 1989. The song has been sampled by many different artists and producers. In the song's video, a young Tupac Shakur is visible in the background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted</span> 1996 song by 2Pac featuring Snoop Dogg

"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). The song features fellow West Coast rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and was produced by Dat Nigga Daz. The song was released as a promotional single for the album on May 7, 1996 and later as the B-side to the album's second major and third overall single, How Do U Want It. The song peaked at number 46 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The song contains interpolations of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five's song "The Message" and "Radio Activity Rap " by MC Frosty and Lovin' C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto</span> 1997 single by 2Pac featuring Maxee

"I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto" is a song by American rapper 2Pac. It was released as the first single from the posthumous album R U Still Down? . The original version, titled "I Wonda if Heaven's Got a Ghetto", was released as a B-side on the 1993 single, "Keep Ya Head Up".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Ya Head Up</span> 1993 single by 2Pac featuring Dave Hollister

"Keep Ya Head Up" is a song by American rapper Tupac Shakur from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z...(1993). It was released on October 28, 1993 as the album's third single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Get Around (Tupac Shakur song)</span> 1993 single by 2Pac featuring Digital Underground

"I Get Around" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second studio album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... (1993). It was released on June 10, 1993 as the album's second single and features Shakur's mentor Shock G and Money-B of Digital Underground, Shakur's old group. It was produced by Shock G, who produced it under the alias, The D-Flow Production Squad. AllMusic notes that in the song Shakur "brags about his sexual conquests". Chart-wise, it was the album's most successful single reaching number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

<i>Sons of the P</i> 1991 studio album by Digital Underground

Sons of the P is the second album by American rap group Digital Underground, released in 1991. The album contained two hit singles, "No Nose Job" and "Kiss You Back," both of which were written by and featured the lead vocals of Greg Jacobs. The latter featured multi-layered choruses and background vocals sung by Boni Boyer, who briefly worked with D.U. shortly after her stint with Prince's Sign of the Times/Love Sexy band.

<i>The Body-Hat Syndrome</i> 1993 studio album by Digital Underground

The Body-Hat Syndrome is the third album from the rap group Digital Underground.

<i>Sex Packets</i> 1990 studio album by Digital Underground

Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Digital Underground, released on March 20, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pac's Life (song)</span> 2006 single by 2Pac featuring Ashanti and T.I.

"Pac's Life" is a single written and performed by American rappers Tupac Shakur and T.I and R&B singer Ashanti, produced by L. T. Hutton for Shakur's posthumously released album of the same name. It is a hip hop and R&B song; the second Tupac verse was recycled from a song titled "This Life I Lead". T.I. said in an interview that working on the song was an honor, as he idolized him while growing up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Many Tears</span> 1995 single by 2Pac

"So Many Tears" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his third studio album, Me Against the World (1995). It was released on June 13, 1995, as the album's second single. It was produced by Shock G, who used a sample of Stevie Wonder's That Girl, and is often described as one of the album's best. A music video was made for "So Many Tears" and there were also numerous live performances of this song on Saturday Night Live and on Shakur's House of Blues concert, his last recorded show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Fuze</span>

DJ Fuze, is an American Hip-Hop DJ and Record producer, who is most known for his work in the 1990s with the multi-platinum, P-Funk inspired rap group, Digital Underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss You Back</span> 1991 single by Digital Underground

"Kiss You Back" is the lead single released from Digital Underground's second studio album, Sons of the P. The song sampled Funkadelic's 1979 hit, "(Not Just) Knee Deep" for which the song's writers, George Clinton and Philippé Wynne, received writing credits.

<i>Live from the Styleetron</i> 1991 studio album by Raw Fusion

Live from the Styleetron is the debut studio album by Oakland-based hip hop group Raw Fusion. The group was fronted by Ron Brooks, known as Money-B, an active member of Digital Underground who produced this album as a side project with fellow group member David Elliot known as DJ FUZE. Among many featured artists was a young unknown performer named Tupac Shakur who would later become a legendary figure in the world of hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Same Song</span> 1991 single by Digital Underground

"Same Song" is a song by American rap group Digital Underground—featuring future music legend, Tupac Shakur, in his recording debut—from the soundtrack for the movie, Nothing But Trouble. The song is included on their EP album, This Is an EP Release, as well as on the Tupac: Resurrection soundtrack.

References

  1. ↑ "Kenny K - Tampa Hip-Hop dot Com v2.0". Tampahiphop.com. Archived from the original on 2004-06-08. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  2. 1 2 "Digital Underground | View the Music Artists Biography Online". VH1.com. 1963-08-25. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  3. ↑ Pop Matters; We Don't Die, We Multiply
  4. 1 2 Rodas, Ricky (2021-08-05). "'Couldn't have happened anywhere else': Chopmaster J reflects on Digital Underground's Oakland roots". The Oaklandside. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  5. ↑ Spuhler, Robert (August 24, 2021). "Shock G to be honored during Digital Underground Day in Oakland". Datebook. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  6. ↑ Bernard Lopez (December 4, 1996). "Boni Boyer (Bonita Louisa Boyer)". DiscoMusic.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2003.
  7. ↑ "Boni Boyer - Bio, CDs and Vinyl at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  8. ↑ "Digital Underground: Information from". Answers.com. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  9. ↑ Huff, Quentin B. "We Don't Die, We Multiply: Heartbeat Props < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  10. ↑ "Artist Info: Kurtis Blow". Tunegenie.com. 1959-08-09. Archived from the original on 2012-06-30. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  11. ↑ "Black Spooks - Bio, CDs and Vinyl at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2010-08-11.
  12. ↑ Interview with Digital Underground's Money-B Archived 2012-09-16 at the Wayback Machine blogcritics.org. 2009-07-31. Retrieved on 2010-11-08.
  13. ↑ Digital Underground – The Greenlight EP features previously unreleased tracks, and releases May 18th mvremix.com. 2010-04-23. Retrieved on 2011-01-16.
  14. ↑ "Digital Underground - US Hot 100". billboard.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "Digital Underground - US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Digital Underground - US Dance Club Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  17. ↑ "Digital Underground - US Radio Songs". billboard.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  18. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  19. ↑ "Bubbling Down Under". bubblingdownunder. October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Digital Underground - New Zealand Chart". charts.nz. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  21. ↑ "Digital Underground - Dutch chart". dutchcharts.nl. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  22. ↑ "Digital Underground - UK Chart". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.