Digital Underground
Background information
Origin	Oakland, California
Genre(s)	Hip hop
Years active	1987 - 1998
Label(s)	Tommy Boy, Radikal, Interscope
Members
Shock G Money-B
Former members
DJ Fuze Chopmaster-J Tupac Shakur Kent Racker Nzazi Muhammed Schmoovy-Schmoov

Digital Underground is an alternative rap group hailing from Oakland, California. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Oakland, founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in California[1] and the county seat of Alameda County. ... Official language(s) English Capital  Sacramento Largest city  Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Tommy Boy Records is a record label started in 1981 by Tom Silverman after borrowing $5000 from his parents. ... Radikal Records is a Teaneck, New Jersey based record label started in 1992. ... Interscope Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMGs Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group. ... Shock-G (born Gregory E. Jacobs, August 25, 1963) is an American musician and rapper. ... Rapper Money-B Money-B is a member of the funk and rap group Digital Underground. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Music. ... Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ... Alternative hip hop is hip hop music that is artistically different from mainstream hip hop typified by pop rap and gangsta rap. ... Oakland, founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in California[1] and the county seat of Alameda County. ...

This multi-member hip-hop group played a big part in giving West Coast rap the spotlight. Their leader was Greg “Shock G” Jacobs, who spent most of his youth in New York City and southern Florida. Heavily influenced by the various funk bands of the 1970s, Digital Underground sampled their music frequently, which quickly became a defining element of west-coast rap. Their ‘alternative’ status owes much to their unabashedly spaced-out image, which lay in contrast to the gangster rap that most west coast acts focused on. Album cuts frequently droned on until well over the five-minute mark, giving albums a jam-session feel (and likely, making radio singles hard to finger). Shock-G (born Gregory E. Jacobs, August 25, 1963) is an American musician and rapper. ... New York, NY redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

Supposedly, the group's original image was set up to be a tribute to social activists The Black Panthers, but when Public Enemy became a prominent band, Jacobs supposedly chose to take the group's image in a more whimsical direction, that of an updated Parliament-Funkadelic for the hip-hop audience. He even took to designing detailed covers and cartoon-laced liner notes for the band, in tribute to the similarly constructed album jackets from Parliament-Funkadelic. The Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a revolutionary Black nationalist organization in the United States that formed in the late 1960s and grew to national prominence before falling apart due to factional rivalries stirred up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. ... Public Enemy, also known as PE, is a seminal hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for their politically charged lyrics, criticism of the media, and active interest in the concerns of the African American community. ... ...

They are also notable for catapulting member Tupac Shakur into the spotlight. Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ...

Early success and Humpty's "secret identity"

Their first album, 1990’s Sex Packets, was named after a sketchy invention idea Schmoovy Schmoov (Earl Cook - early member) had for a hallucinogen that could induce orgasm. To promote the album, a fake newsletter was circulated to California medical clinics, for which the ‘sex packets’ even got notice in USA Today (the newsletter claimed that NASA was secretly developing them for astronauts, as relief on extended space stints). "Underwater Rimes" was an early single that became a surprise hit in the Netherlands. "Doowutchyalike" was an underground American hit in 1989. Sex Packets is debut album from 90s rap group, Digital Underground. ... The general group of pharmacological agents commonly known as hallucinogens can be divided into three broad categories: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants. ... Orgasm is the conclusion of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, and is experienced by both males and females. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... The NASA worm logo. ...

"The Humpty Dance" was a crossover club hit. Sex Packets (recorded with Chopmaster J, Money-B, DJ Fuze) became a hit after "The Humpty Dance" went to #11 on the pop charts. The album received platinum status, selling over 1 million copies. The LPs Sons Of The P (1991), The Body-Hat Syndrome (1993), Future Rhythm (1996), Who Got The Gravy? (1998), and The Lost Files would follow. Rapper Money-B Money-B is a member of the funk and rap group Digital Underground. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline for Music. ... Sons Of The P is the second album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... The Body-Hat Syndrome is the third album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... Future Rhythm is the fourth album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... Who Got The Gravy? is the sixth album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... The Lost Files is the final release by rap group, Digital Underground. ...

As Shock G, Jacobs was a cool, breezy-voiced commentator. On the other hand, his secret alter ego, Humpty Hump, was an uninhibited clown in a Groucho Marx glasses/nose combo and pimp-inspired clothes. At concerts, a stand-in would silently play either one person or the other, and when a smoke bomb dropped (or some other trick), Jacobs would switch gears (and clothing) and rap as the other person. A fictional biography was constructed for Humpty, the story being that "Edward G. Humphreys" had become a musician after burning his nose in a kitchen accident with a deep-fryer. Jacobs also performed as a character by the name of MC Blowfish on "Underwater Rhymes".

The group was also featured in the Dan Aykroyd film Nothing But Trouble, in which it performed "Same Song" and later "Tie the Knot." The music video for "Same Song" featured clips from the film. (This video also featured the first appearance by a young Tupac Shakur.) Daniel Edward Aykroyd CM (born July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is an Academy Award-nominated Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, and musician. ... Nothing But Trouble is a comedy film released in 1991. ... Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ...

Proteges and current developments

The band also orchestrated a handful of spin-off acts, including Gold Money (Pee Wee and Bigg Money Odis) and Raw Fusion (Money B and DJ FUZE, the indomidable DJ). They discovered and catapulted Tupac Shakur to fame (he was a dancer and roadie for the band before joining as a full member and subsequently getting his record deal) as well as the Luniz. Saafir was also a member of Digital Underground and went on to release several solo albums. R&B singer Mystik also got her start as a member of Digital Underground. Their group work stands on its own, however. The band hasn’t recorded in years, but still does tours, and Jacobs still maintains a relationship with the core members, releasing a solo LP (as Shock G), Fear of a Mixed Planet, in 2004. Rumors of a new alblum have been swirling around the groups website suggesting a 2007 release but nothing official has been announced. Pee Wee may refer to: Pee Wee Russell, jazz musician Pee Wee Reese, Hall of Fame baseball player Pee-wee Herman, a character created and portrayed by Paul Reubens The Pee-wee Herman Show, a stage production about Pee-wee Herman Pee-wees Playhouse, a television show about Pee... Raw Fusion was a spin-off project from Digital Underground rapper Money-B, with DJ talent provided by DU contributor DJ Fuze. ... Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac, Makaveli, or simply as Pac, was an American artist renowned for his rap music, movie roles, poetry, and his social activism. ... Luniz were a Oakland rap duo formed by rappers Yukmouth and Numskull. ... Saafir is a free-style rapper, the saucee nomad, and hunchback of Oakland. After moving from Fresno, California (the No) to Oakland, California, he lived with Tupac Shakur and became a dancer for Digital Underground. ...

Discography

LPs, EPs, and CDs

• Sex Packets (1990)
• This Is An EP Release (1991)
• Sons of the P (1991)
• The Body-Hat Syndrome (1993)
• Future Rhythm (1996)
• Who Got The Gravy? (1998)
• The Lost Files (1999)

Sex Packets is debut album from 90s rap group, Digital Underground. ... This Is An EP Release is the second release from rap group, Digital Underground. ... Sons Of The P is the second album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... The Body-Hat Syndrome is the third album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... Future Rhythm is the fourth album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... Who Got The Gravy? is the sixth album from rap group, Digital Underground. ... The Lost Files is the final release by rap group, Digital Underground. ...

Soundtracks

• Nothing But Trouble (Original Soundtrack) (1991)

Nothing But Trouble (Original Soundtrack) is the official movie soundtrack to the Film Nothing But Trouble. ...

Compilations

• No Nose Job: The Legend of Digital Underground (2001)
• Playwutchyalike: The Best of Digital Underground (2003)

DVDs

• Digital Underground: Raw and Uncut (2004)

External links

• Official Website
• VH1 Page