Coolio in 1995. Paul Bergen/Redferns, via Getty Images. Coolio died, as I’m sure you’ve all heard by now. I mentioned to a friend who’s also stuck in the ’90s that it seems like it’s been a bad run of rappers from our high school days passing away, mostly last…

A mural of Digital Underground’s Shock G by artist Ryan Anthony Martinez in Oakland. Relatives and friends of Shock G, as well as musicians and fans honored the Digital Underground luminary on Saturday in Oakland with a food and supply drive for unhoused people, a procession through the city and…

Biz Markie performs at the Mecca Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Aug. 1, 1988. Photo: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images. Last week the world lost Biz Markie, the Clown Prince of Hip-Hop. I won’t go over everything from his obituary again but despite often being considered a one-hit wonder, Markie is…

Shock G (Gregory E. Jacobs) aka Humpty Hump of Digital Underground mugs for a photo at a party in the 1990s in New York City. Photo: Catherine McGann/Getty Images. On April 22 we lost one of the most underrated rappers in the history of hip-hop, Oakland’s own Shock G.…

Shock G (née Gregory Jacobs) and Digital Underground performs at Newark Symphony Hall on April 10, 1990 in Newark, New Jersey. Photo: Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives. Oakland hip-hop legend Greg Jacobs, known as Shock G, was found dead Thursday at the age of 57. He was found dead…

This is one touch you probably want to avoid after your significant other is upset you forgot about Valentine’s Day. Bad news. This is a Valentine’s Day column. Be aware that I absolutely mean the delay as a sign of disrespect. I know it’s cliche, and that I’ve expressed…

  So dreamy Double-length edition again! I try to keep to my rules, but it was looking I’d have to cut either Sex Packets or Flood, and I’m just not going to do that. Turns out way too many of my favorite albums came out in 1990 to cut anything. And,…