LOS ANGELES — Rapper Shock G, co-founder of the group Digital Underground who may be best known as Humpty Hump from the music video for the 1990 hit "The Humpty Dance," has died. That's according to an Instagram post by Chopmaster J, another Digital Underground founder. He was 57.
Nzazi Malonga, a longtime friend who served as head of security and helped manage the group, said the rapper-producer was found unresponsive Thursday in a hotel room in Tampa, Florida. Malonga said the performer, born Greg Jacobs, had struggled with drug addiction for years.
"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," wrote Chopmaster J, whose real name is Jimi Dright. "And now he’s awaken from the fame long live shock G Aka Humpty Hump and Rest In Peace my Brotha Greg Jacobs!!!"
The group found fame with the Billboard Top 10 hit “The Humpty Dance” as Shock G donned a Groucho Marx-style fake nose and glasses to become one of his many alter egos, Humpty Hump. He initially maintained the flamboyant Humpty was a separate person and even did in-character interviews.
Shock G is also credited for helping launch the career of the late 2Pac Shakur. TMZ writes he was one of the producers on 2Pac's debut solo album, "2Pacalypse Now," and collaborated on the single "I Get Around." 2Pac spent some time as a member of Digital Underground and was the featured performer on 1991's "Same Song."
His is the latest in a string of recent deaths of hip hop stars, most notably DMX on April 9 at the age of 50. Rapper Black Rob, known for his hit “Whoa!” and key contributions to Diddy's dominant Bad Boy Records, died Saturday at age 52.