Digital Underground

Digital Underground
Chopmaster J on stage with Digital Underground
Background information
Origin	Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	West Coast hip hop alternative hip hop funk
Years active	1987–present
Labels	TNT Tommy Boy Warner Bros. Critique Interscope Universal
Members	Money-B Young Hump
Past members	Shock G Kenny K Chopmaster J DJ Fuze Money B Jeremy "DJ-JZ" Jackson 2Pac DJ Nu-Stylez Cleetis "Clee" Mack Mack 2Fly Eli Randy "rAN/D" Brooks Michael Webster Kent Racker Nzazi Malonga Schmoovy-Schmoov Ramon "Pee-Wee" Gooden Saafir Razzle Dazzle Esinchill BINC Young Mass Trace Ellington Ocea Savage Metaphysical Numskull Mac M&M Stretch Majesty K-Low Dialect Lector Eric "Kenya Gruve" Baker Boni Boyer Mystic DOT Roniece Levias Big Money Odis Kim Morgan MC Clever Young Hump

Digital Underground is an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Its lineup changed with each album and tour.

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

Shock G died in 2021, but Digital Underground continues to tour.