Digital Underground

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (July 2009)

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (December 2009)

This article may require copy-editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (December 2009)

Digital Underground
Digital Underground circa 2005
Background information
Also known as	D.U., Digital, Tha Underground, D-Flow
Origin	Oakland, California
Genres	Hip hop, Alternative hip hop, funk
Years active	1987-2008
Labels	Tommy Boy, Critique Records, Rhino Records, Jake Records
Associated acts	2Pac, Luniz, Saafir, Raw Fusion
Members
Shock G (Humpty Hump) (Piano Man) (MC Blowfish) (Rackadelic) (Peanut Hakeem Anafu Washington) (MC Butta-Fly) Money-B Jeremy Jackson (DJ-JZ) DJ Nu-Stylez Cleetis Mack (Clee) 2Fly Eli DJ Fuze Chopmaster J Kent Racker Nzazi Malonga Tupac Shakur Schmoovy-Schmoov Pee Wee (Ramone Gooden) Saafir Esinchill BINC Young Mass Kenny K Metaphysical Numskull of the Luniz Dialect Lector Kenya Gruve (Eric Baker) Boni Boyer Mystic DOT Roniece Levias Big Money Odis Juan Carlos Kim Morgan

Digital Underground was an alternative rap group from Oakland, California. They could also have been accurately defined as a "project" or "music family" rather than a group as their personnel steadily changed and rotated with each new album & tour. ^[1]

[edit] Background

Digital Underground's leader was Greg “Shock G” Jacobs (also known as Humpty Hump), who originally formed the group in 1987 with Jimi Dright of Berkeley, California (also known as Chopmaster J), and Tampa Hip-Hop radio deejay Kenneth Waters (also known as Kenny-K). ^[2]

Jacobs spent most of his youth in Tampa Florida and New York City. 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 comical and often spaced-out image, which lay in contrast to the gangster rap that most west coast acts focused on. In the very beginning, the group's image was more militant, and was intended to be a tribute to social activists The Black Panthers, but when Public Enemy became a prominent band, Jacobs chose to take the image in a more whimsical direction; that of an updated Parliament-Funkadelic for the hip-hop audience. As "Rackadelic", Jacobs designed detailed 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 many side projects and solo acts, including Raw Fusion, Saafir, and female artist Mystic. ^[3]

The group appeared "live band style" in the movie Nothing but Trouble, directed by Dan Aykroyd.

Following the release of their "Doowutchyalike" single and video in the summer of 1989, and then boosted by the explosion of "The Humpty Dance" in 1990, Digital Underground toured nearly every year up until 2008; thousands of live shows, including Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia, and a near non-stop U.S. schedule. While the group's origins lay mostly in Oakland and Berkeley California, various characters & voices from around the U.S. graced the albums over the years, with Shock G, Money-B, and Humpty Hump being the only names to appear on every album. Other recurring key contributors were David Elliot (DJ Fuze), and deejay/producer Jeremy Jackson (J-Beats, formally DJ-JZ), who both assisted Jacobs in developing the sound.^[4]

After twenty 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.^[5]

[edit] Albums

1991 d.u. illustration by "Rackadelic", Shock G's graffiti alias. Left to right: Tupac, Pee Wee, Humpty Hump, Shock G, Money B, DJ Fuze.

[edit] Sex Packets

• Sex Packets, the group's debut album, was released in the spring of 1990 following the success of its two leadoff singles. First came "Doowutchyalike," a moderate club hit, followed by the even more outrageous mega-hit "The Humpty Dance," a humorous dance number that climbed all the way to #11 on the pop charts, #7 on the R&B charts, and #1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. It was rapped by Shock G's flamboyant alter ego Humpty Hump, and featured a hypnotically-pulsating bassline, flirty samples, and a particularly potent drumtrack that was sought after by so many different artists & producers that it quickly became the most sampled hip hop recording, with well over 50 confirmed usages in other songs.^[6] Sex Packets delivered on the promise of its singles too, with an abundance of P-Funk samples, jazzy interludes, and an innovative amalgam of samples and live instrumentation, earning it positive reviews and platinum sales. In addition, it served as a concept album, devoting roughly a third of its lyrical content to the topic of "G.S.R.A." (Genetic Suppression Relief Antedotes), a pharmaceutical substance that's produced in the form of a large glowing pill (about the size of a quarter), which comes in a condom-sized package, and is developed by the government to provide its intended users with a satisfying sexual experience in situations where the quest-for/attainment-of such experiences would be counterproductive to the mission at hand.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] This is an EP Release

This is an EP Release is the RIAA Gold certified^[7] second Digital Underground release, from which two songs were featured in the film Nothin But Trouble starring Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Demi Moore, and John Candy. Both songs could be considered hip hop hybrids; "Tie The Knot," for it's loose jazzy piano tracks and comedic interpretation of "Bridal Chorus;" and "Same Song" for it's extensive 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. This is also a hip hop landmark for rap star, Tupac Shakur, who made his debut on the latter song, and who fatefully portrayed an African king in the video. Tupac also can be heard clowning around on "The Way We Swing"( Remix) as a background vocalist, adding humorous ad-libs between the verses.

[edit] Sons of the P

The group's third album featured two hit 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^[8] It is sometimes mistakenly reported that Kiss You Back was co-written & co-performed by George Clinton,^[9] but his name appropriately appears in the writers credit due to a sample of "(Not Just) Knee Deep" by Funkadelic. 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,^[10] preceeded only by Kurtis Blow's "Magilla Gorilla" released in 1986.^[11] Both the album and the single "Kiss You Back" were each certified Gold by the RIAA.

Lead vocalist Shock G in 1991 during the group's "Sons of the P" tour.

[edit] The Body-Hat Syndrome

With the edgy grind of the leading single, "The Return of the Crazy One," and its accompanying X-rated video (reworked for public consumption) boosting the band back into the spotlight, 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 an inspired 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 line up. This album also features "The Humpty Dance Awards", the groups humorous shout-out to the many artists who sampled the Humpty Dance prior to 1993. Since then the list has grown to over 50 songs and can be viewed at the bottom of the Sex Packets Wikipedia page.

[edit] Future Rhythm

Future Rhythm, the group's fifth album, would be their first independent release, and it spawned 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", which featured Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and "We Got More" with Luniz, which is also featured twice on the soundtrack- once as a full song, and once as an intro edited to the beginning of "Winter Wars" by Ghostface Killa.^{[citation needed]} The album also boasts an early performance from rapper Sly Boogy while still a member of the Black Spooks, who appeared on the song "Fool Get a Clue."^[12]

[edit] Who Got the Gravy?

In 1999, ten years after the group's first release, Digital Underground released Who Got The Gravy?, which struggled to reach #91 on the Top 200 R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album intentionally featured several East Coast rappers at a time when the East vs. West rivalry was at an all-time high, 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 (Jakpot), while also introducing west coast bay area newcomers Esinchill and female emcee Mystic.^[13]

[edit] ..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 disbanded as Shock expressed interest in "moving on to explore other ventures."^[14]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

• 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)
• ..Cuz A D.U. Party Don't Stop! (2008)

[edit] Soundtracks

• Nothing But Trouble (1991)
• Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
• Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

[edit] Compilations

• Oakland Soul: The Bay Area Soundtrack (1997)
• No Nose Job: The Legend of Digital Underground (2002)
• Outrageous Rap (2002)
• Playwutchyalike: The Best of Digital Underground (2003)
• Rhino Hi-Five: Digital Underground (2005)
• Songs You Know: Ol' Skool Hip Hop (2007)
• Westside Bugg Presents... The Best of The West (2008)

[edit] Videos

• "Doowutchyalike" (1989)
• "The Humpty Dance" (1990)
• "Doowutchyalike" (video remix) (1990)
• "Same Song" (1991)
• "Kiss You Back" (1991)
• "No Nose Job" (1992)
• "Return of the Crazy One" (1993)
• "Wussup Wit the Luv" (1994)
• "Oregano Flow" (1996)
• "Walk Real Kool" (1996)
• "Wind Me Up" (1998)

[edit] DVDs

• Digital Underground: Raw and Uncut (2004)
• Thug Angel: The Life of an Outlaw (2000)
• Tupac: Resurrection (2003)
• One Nation Under a Groove (2005)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• digital underground Official MySpace Page
• Shock-G Official MySpace Page
• Jake Records
• VH1 Page
• Pop Matters; We Don't Die, We Multiply
• SF Bay Gaurdian article
• Digital Underground at MySpace