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How is Shock G connected to Burger King? Here’s why the fast-food chain is trending after rapper’s death

'Burger king should name a burger after Shock G,' said a user

Following the death of Shock G, 'Burger King' began trending on Twitter. Fans began posting hilarious messages in honor of the Digital Underground lead singer, but what does that have to do with one of America's largest fast-food chains? The surprising truth is there is a strong link.

Some readers may be too young to remember, but any rap fans from the late 1990s will know Digital Underground. The hip-hop group shot to stardom thanks to Shock G and Tupac Shakur, and remained a popular force in the early 2000s, before disbanding in 2008. The band had a wide number of hits, but their first one 'The Humpty Dance' will forever be etched in the memories of millions.

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That song, released in 1990, became a cult phenomenon. The dance number reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. In 2008, VH1 ranked the song #30 on their 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop, and #65 on their 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s in 2007. Apart from being a massive hit, the song also has a strong relationship with Burger King.

The myth of Burger King

The song features the lyrics "I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom". It isn't just a random throwaway line created to make the rhyme. There's actually a myth behind it, featuring Shock G's character 'Humpty Hump'. According to Monterey County Weekly, "the backstory story goes something like this: Edward Ellington Humphrey III, formerly the lead singer of the (fictitious) R&B outfit Smooth Eddie and the Humpers, morphed into another life form after his nose was horrendously deformed in a deep-fat-fryer accident." He then got "busy" in a bathroom at the famous fast-food chain.

This story is something like legend right now. Nobody knows if it's an actual incident or just a random lyric. What inspired the addition of Burger King in the song? We don't, and probably won't ever know. Shock G hasn't addressed it in public. Nonetheless, it has become of Digital Underground's most-loved lyrics. A 2010 Rolling Stone article credited the song as one "that has kept a grateful nation getting busy in Burger King bathrooms". 

The Burger King myth stayed with Humpty Hump for a long time and has now returned to the public consciousness. Following the tragic death of Shock G, many fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to Shock G's most famous line. 

'Burger King bathrooms would never be the same'

Rapper Biz Markie tweeted, "RIP Shock G, psychedelic rap pioneer, one of the 1st & best to translate funk into hip-hop. A high concept genius, who discovered 2Pac & invented sex packets. Our Groucho Mark: raunchy, hilarious & weird. Burger King bathrooms would never be the same. Humpty Hump lives forever". Another user joked, "All Burger King bathrooms will be closed for the next 24 hours in remembrance. R.I.P Shock G." Another person tweeted, "Sincerely hope he’s getting busy in that Burger King bathroom in the sky."

One user described why the line is 'genius', tweeting, "The key to great writing is specificity. That's why "I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom" is an absolutely genius line." "RIP Shock G. Time to get busy in a Burger King bathroom in his honor" one person joked. Another said, "Damn, RIP Shock G. I need to get busy in a Burger King bathroom in his memory." One user said, "Burger king should name a burger after Shock G."

Throughout his long career, Shock G has left his mark on pop culture in many ways, but perhaps none as significant as Burger King. It's a fitting tribute to him that the fast-food chain is trending, giving many social media users a reason to laugh on this sad day.