Thug Life Army

Hip-hop, rap, P-Funk artist Shock G aka Gregory E. Jacobs has announced he is retiring from music. Shock is also an accomplished artists and writer.

Along with Chopmaster, Shock G formed the Digital Underground hip-hop and rap group with its unique sound in 1987. The group was bizarre, funky and unique in the genre that was being dominated by hard core rappers and gangsta rap groups, but they flourished and survived.

Shock G had many alter ego’s, the most famous was Humpty Hump.

Being born on the east coast and finally settling in the Bay Area, Shock G has made an impact of the music industry worldwide.

One of his accomplishments was introducing the world to the late rap icon Tupac Shakur. Leila Steinberg became Tupac's first manager. Tupac formed the group Strictly dope with 5 other members including rap artist Ray Luv. Later Steinberg introduced Tupac to Shock-G of Digital Underground and Tupac traveled with the Digital Underground, and when Shock gave him his chance on Same Old Song – the world of hip-hop and rap music would never be the same.

Shock G was on many of Tupac’s songs. Some are I Get Around and F**k The World. Shock has worked with almost everybody, from hip-hop’s Richie Rich to funk’s George Clinton to pop’s Prince.

Shocks latest work is his Fear of a Mixed Planet CD. A great album and it stands as a testament of what the music world has lost with the announcement of Shock G’s retirement from the music field.

More recently Shock has been touring and he spoke at the Grand Opening  of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, GA on June 11^th.

Since this email from Shock was first posted in forums on the net, we wanted to wait and make sure it was in deed from Shock G and that the information was correct.

We have contacted Shock G’s people and it is confirmed that this is the way Shock G is feeling at the present. I am told he is fine and healthy and we wish Shock all the best in what ever he does. Our thoughts and prayers go with him and hopefully he will receive many blessing for all the blessing he has given all of us over the years. Shock is truly a legend and he will surely be missed in the studio.

Here is the statement from Shock G:

I''m retiring from all forms of studio work and song writing.

My reasons for retiring are:

1. I get no satisfaction or fullfillment from it anymore. It doesn''t make me happy. On the contrary, it depresses me.

Normally I''m not depressed, it's only surrounding the studio. I''m happy when I''m away from the studio.

2. Can''t make a living at it. 90% of the studio work I''ve done in the last 6 years has all been either for free or for peanuts, and hasn''t generated any income since.

3. It drives me to do drugs, cause I HATE BEING IN THE STUDIO. To much pressure & expectation for me to make/save/spark someone elses career or project.

4. I quit the studio. Fuck the studio.

5. I can''t win in the studio, It's pointless, it's a "catch 22" for me, watch:

If what I do sucks, it tarnishes the legacy, hurts the family, and even lowers the price, and also leaves the artists & involved-companies unhappy;

But if what I do shines, it generates more studio work for the future, and furthur traps me in the music business, a business I have no intention of slaving to the rest of my life. I gave it 20 years. I''m done.

6. Every man has the right to the pursuit of happiness and should first try a job that he might gain happiness & fullfillment from. This doesn''t make me happy anymore, it makes me miserable and a drug addict.

7. I''m done widdit. Whew!

YES, it already feels great already just to say it!!!

I most likely will try my hand at some of these:

> writing (Afeni assures me this is my true calling everytime she see's me. Maybe she's right?)

> acting

> stage performing, meaning accepting tours or positions in other bands doing keys & background vocals. (IF it's real and if the moneys good. No amatuer or free stuff anymore.)

> regular jobs in service (like clubs, hotels, TV show bands or staff, resturants, who knows?)

> ..and of course still do digital tours cause it PAYS and people don''t expect me & Mon (grown men) to work for free, like all the studio requests. I''m 42 and have wants/needs/bills/responsibilities.

So there it is, spread the word, I quit.

I don''t make beats, I don''t do vocals, I don''t write vocals, NONE OF IT.

Those of you who are friends, will be happy for me. Happy that I shook something that was making me miserable.

Those of you who had plans to "use" or manipulate me at the expense of my own health & happiness, will be upset about this. All I can say to those would be, you''re free to do whatever you wish, and so am I.

I choose to QUIT.

there it is.

Thanx everybody, spread the word

shock