Shock G: Digital Underground rapper died of fentanyl, meth and alcohol OD
Gregory Edward Jacobs, better known to the world as Shock G, the rapper, producer, and musician whose experimental funk music changed the game and who introduced the world to Tupac Shakur died at age of 57 on April April 22. Close to two months later, the cause of death has now been revealed.
TMZ reported that Jacobs died from a deadly mix of drugs and alcohol. This was according to the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner. A representative for the medical examiner's office told the website that the Digital Underground rapper died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, ethanol (alcohol), and methamphetamine.
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Back when Jacobs’ death was reported first, it was said that he was found unresponsive in his hotel room, and there were no outward signs of trauma. He was last seen the day before he died, by a hotel manager — the same person who then found him in the room on April 22. The manager had reportedly grown concerned after the rapper missed his check-out time, and immediately called 911.
Born in New York City, Greg Jacobs spent his teen years in Tampa, Florida before moving to Oakland and becoming a foundational figure in West Coast hip-hop. Nzazi Malonga, a longtime friend who served as head of security and helped manage the group, said that the rapper struggled with drug addiction for years. Malonga said Jacobs had lived with him in the Los Angeles area for several years to get sober in the early 2000s, but had relapsed and been recently living with family in Florida.
Earlier this year in February, two Tampa police officers responded to a disturbance call at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk hotel. Jacobs, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, got into an argument with his girlfriend and other hotel guests, according to a police report. He threw water on some guests, stripped down to his boxers and walked away from the hotel. Officers found him several blocks away and took him into protective custody.
As per the CDC, over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period. The CDC said that while overdose deaths were already increasing in the months preceding the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the numbers suggested an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic.
“The disruption to daily life due to the Covid-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD. “As we continue the fight to end this pandemic, it’s important to not lose sight of different groups being affected in other ways. We need to take care of people suffering from unintended consequences.”
Are you or a loved one suffering from addiction? Please contact the National Drug Helpline's Alcohol and drug hotline on (844) 289-0879 to get help and advice.