Rapper Shock G to be honored with a celebration of life by his adopted hometown Oakland... after he died in April of an accidental overdose
Shock G, the frontman for the influential hip hop group Digital Underground, is set to be honored with a celebration of life by the city of Oakland, California.
The rapper, who died in April at age 57, will be receiving a day-long tribute from the Bay Area city on August 21, his manager Atron Gregory told TMZ on Saturday.
Though he was born in Brooklyn and spent his early years moving around the East Coast, the musician later made Oakland his home and founded his rap group there.
Celebration: Digital Underground rapper Shock G, who died in April at age 57, will be honored in his adopted hometown of Oakland with a day-long celebration of life on August 21, TMZ reports; seen in 2017 in LA
Gregory said the rapper (born Gregory Edward Jacobs) had a passion for helping the homeless and less fortunate, so the day will begin with his family and friends serving meals to 2,000 homeless people in the area.
Afterward, a motorcade will drive through Oakland to its city hall, where speakers will memorialize Shock G and musicians will perform live in his honor.
The celebration will conclude with multiple DJs spinning at The New Parish, an intimate live music venue in the city known for reggae performances.
Honoring the man: His manager Atron Gregory revealed the day would begin with family and friends feeding 2,000 homeless people, before a motorcade goes to city hall for music and tributes; seen in 2011 in LA
TMZ originally reported that Shock G had been found dead inside a hotel room in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, April 22.
In June, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner revealed in his report that he had died of an accidental overdose after combining alcohol with fentanyl and methamphetamine.
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.
RIP: TRM originally reported Shock G was found dead inside a hotel room in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, April 22, at the age of 57 after an accidental overdose; he is seen at a film premiere in Los Angeles in June 2017
Chopmaster paid tribute to his friend and collaborator with a black-and-white photo of the two back in their heyday.
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'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
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