Adam and Jeff talk about the fascinating and seemingly accidental legacy of the Digital Underground novelty ’90s rap party anthem “The Humpty Dance” and the unexpected origins of the voice and the dance both. Atif Myers drops in to talk about the hundreds of other songs that have sampled “The Humpty Dance” in the years since it was released, and Jenn Scott is on hand to discuss how it might be the most impossible-to-cover song ever recorded.
Reference Links:
Articles/Books About the Influence of the Humpty Dance
https://www.mixonline.com/recording/classic-tracks/classic-tracks-digital-undergrounds-the-humpty-dance
https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2021/april/rather-be-humpty
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/29811/check-the-technique-by-brian-coleman-introduction-by-ahmir-uestlove-thompson/
Shock G Talks About Inspiration For the Voice and Thoughts On the Tupac Hologram
https://youtu.be/rMH6IcxXoqI?si=TvCGslVqLsdECvWy
How the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake Inspired the Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbBhppgQpEE
Young Hump Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzLMxozsVc4
Young Hump In All Eyez On Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44kBfo3vZ_o
Money B Interview About the History of Digital Underground
https://youtu.be/lXlLkbuwrHk?si=02Q9C_AM3pyRB8lb
Humpty Dance Covers with Jenn Scott
Clint Robinson – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spbSIH1SKzk&list=RDspbSIH1SKzk&start_radio=1
Adam Ronin – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJYWHH37VaI&list=RDrJYWHH37VaI&start_radio=1
Transpose – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbFRZOGrIkw&list=RDtbFRZOGrIkw&start_radio=1
Fact From Fiction – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeQCW4YDr6Q&list=RDWeQCW4YDr6Q&start_radio=1
8 Bit Arcade – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWJpvcyms9A&list=RDbWJpvcyms9A&start_radio=1
FO The Smack Magnet – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfOY0yJxck4&list=RDYfOY0yJxck4&start_radio=1
Wolfpac – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MeBxRaZb3U&list=RD-MeBxRaZb3U&start_radio=1
Samples With Atif Myers
The Humpty Dance – https://youtu.be/msrq0HjwJUM?si=xWtMLebL3Efzsu-3&t=9
Top Billin – https://youtu.be/krTLRQOOFAw?si=jShfR1hwT_FYAsqr
Impeach the President – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqbEsS5kFb8&list=RDwqbEsS5kFb8&start_radio=1
Mic Checka – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR_0cUaAy14&list=RDZR_0cUaAy14&start_radio=1 (Top Billin)
Return of the Mack – https://youtu.be/uB1D9wWxd2w?si=dHcw-LBDmhxmPzkq (Humpty Dance)
Verbal Intercourse – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_xVF3HrOq8&list=RDm_xVF3HrOq8&start_radio=1 (Top Billin)
Around the Way Girl – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm36viw6q1U&list=RDSm36viw6q1U&start_radio=1 (Impeach the President)
Mama Said Knock You Out – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vimZj8HW0Kg&list=RDvimZj8HW0Kg&start_radio=1 (Humpty Dance)The Bridge Is Over – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Sy4twXSn0&list=RDr0Sy4twXSn0&start_radio=1 (Impeach the President)