The legendary Shock G of Digital Underground has officially announced his retirement via an open letter to fans. Read on...

I "m retiring from all forms of studio work and song writing.

My reasons for retiring are:
1. I get no satisfaction or fulfillment from it anymore. It doesn "t make me happy. On the contrary, it depresses me.
Normally I "m not depressed, it "s only surrounding the studio. I "m happy when I " "m away from the studio.

2. Can "t make a living at it. 90% of the studio work I "ve done in the last 6 years has all been either for free or for peanuts, and hasn "t generated any income since.

3. It drives me to do drugs, cause I HATE BEING IN THE STUDIO. To much pressure & expectation for me to make/save/spark someone else "s career or project.

4. I quit the studio. Fuck the studio.

5. I can "t win in the studio, It "s pointless, it "s a "catch 22" for me, watch:
If what I do sucks, it tarnishes the legacy, hurts the family, and even lowers the price, and also leaves the artists & involved-companies unhappy;
But if what I do shines, it generates more studio work for the future, and further traps me in the music business, a business I have no intention of slaving to the rest of my life. I gave it 20 years. I "m done.

6. Every man has the right to the pursuit of happiness and should first try a job that he might gain happiness & fulfillment from. This doesn "t make me happy anymore, it makes me miserable and a drug addict.

7. I " "m done widdit. Whew!
YES, it already feels great already just to say it!!!

I most likely will try my hand at some of these:
> writing (Afeni assures me this is my true calling every time she see "s me. Maybe she "s right?)

> acting

> stage performing, meaning accepting tours or positions in other bands doing keys & background vocals. (IF it "s real and if the moneys good. No amateur or free stuff anymore.)

> regular jobs in service (like clubs, hotels, TV show bands or staff, restaurants, who knows?)

> ..and of course still do digital tours cause it PAYS and people don "t expect me & Mon (grown men) to work for free, like all the studio requests. I " "m 42 and have wants/needs/bills/responsibilities.

So there it is, spread the word, I quit.
I don "t make beats, I don "t do vocals, I don "t write vocals, NONE OF IT.

Those of you who are friends, will be happy for me. Happy that I shook something that was making me miserable.

Those of you who had plans to "use" or manipulate me at the expense of my own health & happiness, will be upset about this. All I can say to those would be, you "re free to do whatever you wish, and so am I.

I choose to QUIT.

there it is.
Thanx everybody, spread the word
shock

hiphopgods.rapstation.com