Oakland to celebrate Shock G’s rich legacy

than 1,000 times, and even artists like the Spice Girls (“If U Can’t Dance”) and Norwegian electronic music act Royksopp (“Happy Up Here”) have either borrowed from P-Funk or, in the Brits’ case, sampled Digital Underground’s reworking.

But beyond the music itself, P-Funk’s mythology and general ethos seemed to have a great effect on Shock G throughout his career. While hip-hop crews have always had a tendency towards competition, P-Funk was always more about the celebration, the friends and the family. Los Angeles indie hip-hop legend Murs met Shock G at a bar in Tucson and eventually worked with him on the track “Risky Business” (credited to Murs, Shock G and Humpty Hump). Shock G even toured with Murs, playing keyboards in the rapper’s backing band.

“With Digital Underground there was a vibe of family and funk,” Murs says. “It was, ‘Let’s do what’s the most funky. Let’s do what’s the most fun.’ Digital Underground was fun. But they were so f—ing good that it wasn’t funny, it wasn’t corny. (Shock G) brought the fun. But you couldn’t bring your B game.”

As the Bay Area celebrates Digital Underground, the band’s legacy starts to become more clear, both through direct descendants (Digital Underground Next Generation, led by Son of the Underground — Chopmaster J’s son Chasen Dright — is readying its debut album) and through those who learned from the Underground’s sound and character.

“I wasn’t old enough to be a part of P-Funk and see the spaceship at the L.A. Coliseum, but Digital Underground was that for me,” Murs says, adding that Shock G “kept that element alive.”

“It definitely inspired me to be left of center, but still rooted in Black culture.”