Digital Underground star Shock G found dead inside hotel room in Tampa, Florida at the age of 57
- There are no signs of trauma and an autopsy will be performed to pinpoint a cause of death, according to rapper’s father
- The rap legend was the co-founder of the influential hip hop group Digital Underground in late 1980s
- Shock G and Digital Underground are credited with helping launch the career of Tupac Shakur
- Digital Underground is best known for its hit 1989 song The Humpty Dance
- Shock G also produced songs for artists including Prince, Dr. Dre and KRS-One
Shock G, the frontman for the influential hip hop group Digital Underground, has died at the age of 57.
The rap legend (born Gregory Jacobs), who wrote and performed alongside Tupac Shakur during his career in music, was found dead inside a hotel room in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, April 22.
At this point the cause of death is still under investigation, but there are no signs of trauma, according to TMZ.
Shock’s father, Edward Racker, confirmed authorities will be conducting an autopsy to pinpoint exactly what killed the Brooklyn, New York native.
RIP: Shock G was found dead inside a hotel room in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, April 22, at the age of 57; he is seen at a film premiere in Los Angeles in June 2017
Although Shock was born and raised on the East Coast, he eventually settled in Oakland, where he formed Digital Underground in the late 1980s with Jimi ‘Chopmaster J’ Dright and Kenneth ‘Kenny K’ Waters.
Chopmaster paid tribute to his friend and collaborator with a black-and-white photo of the two back in their heyday.
’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 in the caption.
‘And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!!’
Iconic: Shock G (born Gregory Jacobs) and his group Digital Underground first made waves with their hit song The Humpty Dance in 1989; he is pictured in 1991
Shock G’s former Digital Underground co-founder shared a tribute on Instagram
Digital Underground first gained recognition for their hit song The Humpty Dance, a humorous dance number that reached number one on the Billboard Rap Singles chart, number 11 on that Billboard Hot 100, and number seven on the R&B charts.
The group is also credited by some people for helping launch the career of Tupac Shakur. Pac was a member of Digital Underground when he appeared on the group’s 1991 song and music video, Same Song.
Shock G went on to co-produced Pac’s 1991 debut album 2Pacalypse Now, and he co-wrote and performed with Shakur on his second single, I Get Around, from his second studio album that dropped in the summer of 1993.
During his career, Shock G also produced songs for the likes of such stars as Prince, Dr. Dre and KRS-One, among others.
Influential: Shock G and Digital Underground are credited with helping launch the career of Tupac Shakur, who went on to become one of hip hop’s legendary stars; they are seen in 1991