Gregory Jacobs, who co-founded and fronted Digital Underground, helped foster Tupac Shakur’s music career and served as a lodestar for creativity within hip-hop and beyond, has died. He was 57.
Jacobs was known by many as Shock G, but perhaps more so by his “Humpty Hump” alter ego, whose prosthetic nose, stylish clothes and side-splitting humorous lyrics made Digital Underground platinum-sellers and stadium-fillers for several years in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In a social media post Thursday, band co-founder Jimi C. Dright, Jr., who performed as Chopmaster J, broke the news to fans and praised Jacobs’ legacy.
“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,” he wrote.
“And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!!”
Jacobs’ keen eye for talent extended well beyond Tupac’s early days as a dancer and roadie for the band during its time on the charts.
According to an article by this news organization, musician and entrepreneur Tyranny Allen talked about his time running into Jacobs at the then-Serenader bar near Lake Merritt, turning a freestyle performance into a songwriting and performing stint.
As recently as November 2019, Digital Underground joined a 40th-anniversary party for Bay Area radio station KBLX alongside multiple music legends including MC Hammer, En Vogue, Luniz and Tony! Toni! Tone!
On Thursday, music figures from the Bay Area and beyond paid their respects to multiple levels of Jacobs’ legacy.
Rapper Ice Cube tweeted “nobody had a better stage show. A true Bay Area original.”
“We lost Shock G, Piano Man, and Humpty Hump all in one fell swoop,” TV writer and producer Cheo Hodari Coker said in a tweet. “He was a genius. A great guy and a great interview. One of the best interviews of my life was the afternoon we spent in Emeryville 25 years ago when he went ON RECORD as being Humpty and broke it alldown.”
“MOST people in the entertainment industry are simply trying to be a version of another person that they like,” tweeted Wild949 radio host JV. “#ShockG was one of the very few artists not trying to be anyone else. He was a unicorn. Without him Bay Area music is not the international phenomenon it is today.”
DAMMIT!!! We lost Shock G, Piano Man, and Humpty Hump all in one fell swoop. He was a genius. A great guy and a great interview. One of the best interviews of my life was the afternoon we spent in Emeryville 25 years ago when he went ON RECORD as being Humpty and broke it alldown
— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) April 23, 2021
Here's Shock G remembering the last time him and Money B saw Tupac, when they all met up at an LL Cool J show. I'm so sad right now, but this story puts a little smile on my face. #RIPShockG pic.twitter.com/SXRLqTsIJg
— East Bay Yesterday (@ebyesterday) April 23, 2021
Damn. Was literally on the phone today with someone close to DU camp talking about a Pac 50th bday tribute. They said to pray for Shock. Had no idea this news would hit today. This a tragic loss for Hip-Hop and the Bay Area. We lost a true legend and pioneer.
— KevChoice (@KevChoice) April 23, 2021
The M.C., producer, the character, pianist, musician, visionary, man Shock G really was ahead of his time.
— KevChoice (@KevChoice) April 23, 2021
A rapping, producing, pianist from Oakland!!! Damn man. This hurts! Shock G helped me see what was possible!!
— KevChoice (@KevChoice) April 23, 2021
“I look back [on my times with Shock G] with the greatest fondness. Those were like some of the best times of my life…”
– Tupac
1995RIP Shock G pic.twitter.com/7QxckaJMM2
— 2PAC (@2PAC) April 23, 2021
R.I.P. SHOCK G
— WHIZ WARD (@yopotnawhiz) April 23, 2021
My favorite Shock G story, other than when I met him, is when Tupac screamed on him for not giving him beats as hot as Kiss You Back. Shock said he gave him So Many Tears and I Get Around. Let me say that again. I Get Around.
— Off-White Panther (@djbenhameen) April 23, 2021
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.
— WHIZ WARD (@yopotnawhiz) April 23, 2021
Salute Shock G
https://t.co/5zqOdep9N5 pic.twitter.com/0vJZv2LniB
— Elliott Wilson (@ElliottWilson) April 23, 2021
MOST people in the entertainment industry are simply trying to be a version of another person that they like. #ShockG was one of the very few artists not trying to be anyone else.
He was a unicorn. Without him Bay Area music is not the international phenomenon it is today.
— JV (@JV) April 23, 2021
Rest in Beats Shock G. Ibaye
— Erick Santero (@santeromusic) April 23, 2021
Aww man, RIP the one Shock G
#HumptyHump #oaklandsfinest #therewouldbeno2pacwithoutshockg pic.twitter.com/qXxQJF7BhW
— dION dECIBELS (@diondecibels) April 23, 2021
RIP Shock-G/Humpty Hump. I remember when NWA’s road manager Atron said he had a group called Digital Underground. He played DOWHATCHALIKE video & I went crazy. I had to sample DU on JACKIN FOR BEATS and WHO’S THE MACK. And nobody had a better stage show. A true Bay Area original. pic.twitter.com/skrOoM1Rsv
— Ice Cube (@icecube) April 23, 2021
Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.