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Sex Packets

Digital Underground

1990

Sex Packets

Album Summary

Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Digital Underground, released on March 20, 1990 (1990-03-20).

Wikipedia

Rating

2.73

Votes

5510

Genres

  • Hip Hop
Reviews
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Thu Sep 02 2021
5

One of my favorite rap albums of all time. Uniquely entertaining with a funny flow. Also responsible for helping to launch the career of Tupac. RIP Tupac and Shock G

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Wed Dec 15 2021
3

There are some really fun moments on this album, and I was really grooving to them. "Humpty Dance" is, as always, a fun funky classic. I like the way they swing on "The Way We Swing" (schwing!). "Rhymin' on the Funk" and "Underwater Rimes" continued the fun and I was really getting into this album. I liked how they seemed to really be having fun with this and not taking themselves too seriously. (Did I wince several times? You bet. It's early 90s hip hop. You're gonna wince.) The rest of it, however, while always funky, didn't feel as fun. "The Danger Zone" seemed out of place. Grim. By the time it got to "Freaks of the Industry" it was a little cringy. And then came the songs about the titular ;-) sex packets that were just...strange and creepy. Anyway, it's hard to rate because I did move to this music and I liked their sound so much. I just don't wanna hear about the underage fetish sex packets anymore.

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Wed Mar 10 2021
2

Kinda fun, but so incredibly dated. Not really for me. Also I wasn't expecting multiple songs about a sci-fi sexual fetish, but they may have been the highlight of the album.

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Mon Aug 09 2021
2

This album isn't that bad. The only problem is that it's a concept album that revolves around being horny. I guess I should've tailored my expectations with a name like Sex Packets but still. The album is mixed great, and it sounds really good; however, I wouldn't ever be able to listen to this casually due to how uncomfortable it makes me. Favorite track: Sex Packets

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Wed Oct 20 2021
2

Like an hour of listening to Fresh Prince, tiresome.

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Wed Jun 29 2022
2

Ayoooo who up listening to Sex Packets in 2022?

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Fri Feb 19 2021
5

Awesome album, with some really good songs

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Sun Jan 31 2021
5

Such a good album! My favourite so far. Every tune was great and the influence it had on all the hip hop I love is clear. Loved it!

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Thu May 27 2021
5

Classic

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Tue Jul 27 2021
5

Great album!

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Mon Aug 09 2021
5

Weirdly, I really like this. Conceptually, I feel like I would hate a rap concept album about a futuristic sex drug, but the variety and prowess of the rhymes feel futuristic even thirty years later. The production is really clean which is pretty anachronistic in terms of what was popular at the time. There are some duds in the middle of the album, but I like the rest of it enough to give this album a 5. Additionally, the comedic tongue-in-cheekness of the album and the idea of sex packets is very funny and adds to the futuristic tone and themes in the album. The skits aren't overbearing and are used pretty sparingly which is great for its replay-ability. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes hip-hop and conceptual albums. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, and 13.

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Wed Feb 23 2022
5

Gloriously weird in conception, totally hilarious (a component often lacking in the genre) and super detailed in execution. Love what got pulled off here.

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Mon May 23 2022
5

Incredibly fun(ny) shockingly good album. You can't tell me that the rhyme scheme/flow of Packet Man didn't influence Hamilton though

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Fri Sep 09 2022
5

Unapologetically arrogant and objectifies women and men in a sexual storyline carried throughout the album. I fucking loved it.

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Thu Sep 22 2022
5

This is quite a cool sound, very summery especially to bring out at a party.

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Fri Jan 27 2023
5

A worthy debut from Digital Underground. If you didn't quite like this one, the true essential entry from them is Sons of the P. RIP Shock G

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Fri Mar 24 2023
5

This was genuinely so much fun to listen to. Some of the lyrics are just mad and I love how unserious it is. 10/10 story telling too.

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Thu Dec 17 2020
4

pretty nice

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Mon Jul 19 2021
4

solid 90s rap

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Wed Feb 24 2021
4

Everyone loves the Humpty Dance, but I don't remember listening to the whole album before.

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Wed Mar 10 2021
4

As this Era of hip-hop is more of a blindspot for me, I quite enjoyed getting a taste of Westcoast classics, and seeing where my tastes originate from a bit.

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Mon Feb 08 2021
4

A bit too long, but at its good moments it is a perfect hip hop funk jazz record to make you feel... just great!!

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Sun Jan 31 2021
4

Really cool vibes. Like the Beastie Boys, another album with sampling at it's heart. But this one has been sampled itself a LOT by all kinds of people, really interesting to read and listen to all those tracks too. Big influence on backpack hiphop. Best discovery of this thing so far 7.5/10

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Sun Jan 31 2021
4

90s backpack hip hop? Yes please. Great lyrics, funky production and all round good vibes. Saved to Spotify.

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Sun Jan 31 2021
4

Enjoyed this v much 👌🏽

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Wed Jun 30 2021
4

Classic old-school hip-hop. Do the Humpty Hump!

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Tue May 04 2021
4

totally hated the first few tracks on this album but it really started growing on me. extra comedic virile Tribe Called Quest vibes. some creative old-school beats too

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Sun Jan 31 2021
4

Really enjoyed this, loads of big samples and amazing how many peeps have sampled this album!

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Sun Feb 21 2021
4

.

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Thu May 27 2021
4

30 years in the past/future. RIP

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Thu Jul 01 2021
4

Fun, early 90s hip hop

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Mon Jul 12 2021
4

Very entertaining , fun, funny album. The music is not as compelling for me as Fun Lovin' Criminals, but still really good and enjoyable, just as a general commentary....Rap / hiphop albums tend to be TOO LONG!!! Please, please, please being back the 40 minute album. 3.75 🌟

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Wed Aug 04 2021
4

Zimbabwe got a shoutout on The Way We Swing.

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Wed Sep 15 2021
4

What's interesting about this album is that so many of the samples sound familiar, but I can't tell if they originate here or are sampled from something famous. Certainly there is a huge P-Funk influence on this album, which fits into the context of what was happening elsewhere in West Coast hip-hop. A lot of the rap from this era doesn't age well because of the mysogeny, homophobia, and cartoonishly violent content, but this album still sounds good 4/5

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Wed Sep 29 2021
4

The Humpty Dance is a bop. Gutfest 89 is fun. The sheer amount of Parliament samples is quite impressive. Doowhutchyalike is a send up to early 90's hedonism. Its an afrofuturistic hedonistic album about sex and unrequited desire.

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Fri Oct 22 2021
4

Very cool, very rude.

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Thu Dec 16 2021
4

Great album - really funky early hip hop, with the iconic Humpty Dance and several other head bobbing tracks. Definitely some mature subject matter, but absent a lot of the "I'm going to kill everyone" lyricism of the genre from later in the decade.

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Thu Jan 13 2022
4

Groovie old school hip-hop

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Thu Jan 20 2022
4

An album that doesn't get enough praise from the golden era / sample era of hip hop. I think most tracks could shave a minute or so off of them.

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Fri Jan 28 2022
4

Very naughty and a lot of fun - and funky. I enjoyed this one!

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Tue Feb 08 2022
4

This album definitely grew on me as it went on. The songs do run a bit long for no good reason, but overall this album was a very fun listen.

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Thu Mar 17 2022
4

The group, mostly Shock G by the sound of it, produce sex-raps in a low-gonzoness/high-legibility vein. That niche and the unique sound of the thing quickly earned my respect. That said, I continue to not get the p-funk beats which underlie Sex Packets: Just too slow and low-fi. The listening experience was a descent into discomfort.

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Fri Mar 18 2022
4

Strong an consistent rap album from the golden age that i was not familiar with in advance.

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Mon Mar 21 2022
4

Kolejny pik ktorego bym sie nie spodziewal po bialej wyspiarskiej liscie, bo murzynski rap z gatunku konceptowych wariacji lat 90, Sex Packets to debiutancki krazek grupy Digital Underground, ktorej twarza, a raczej nosem byl Shock G, ale kolektyw znany byl z tego, ze przewinelo sie przez niego sporo postaci z rapowej gry zachodniego wybrzeza, nawet 2pac troche sie wypromowal zaakrecajac sie na projektach digitalowych, co do samego krazka, to plyta pochodzi z poczatku lat 90, wiec jest bogato wyprawiona w sample. az dziwne ze nadal wisi na spotifaju, bo sporo materialu z tamtego okresu jest zbyt osamplowane, zeby mozna bylo je grac na strimingu, ponad godzina funkodeli z tlustymi rymami o zabarwieniu mocno hedonistycznie komicznym, bo konceptem plyty jest genetic suppression relief antidotes, wiec pigula po ktorej ma byc czlekowi dobrze, gdy nie moze zrobic sobie dobrze, bo ma wazne zeby do roboty, ale oczywiscie czarne zloczynce uzywaja ich do niecnych celow o ktorych opowiada wlasnie ten album, od strony instrumentalnej slychac parliamentowe sample, daddy kane, hendrixa czy hancocka, wiec czarno to sluchac, na tym funkowych instrumentalach czesto dochodzi do dialogow, monologow i prawdziwych dysput, bo mimo tego ze glownym bohaterem jest pan Shock G jako Humpty Hump, ale przewijaja sie takze inny bohaterowie jak Kenny K, czy Money B, ktory rowniez wnosza cos lirycznego od siebie, wiec nie jest to nudna godzina, fajnie sobie odswiezyc takiego klasyka, zwlaszcza ze brakuje na liscie albumow z jajcem, a taki wlasnie humorek przemyca sex packets, na plejke leci openingowy the humpty dance i doowutchyalike, tak w ogole nie czuc tego, ze jest to debiutancki material grupy, bo tworza az tak pewna atmosfere jak prawdziwe freaki tego industri, ale z drugiej strony nie kojarze duzo z ich pozniejszej dyskografii

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Wed Apr 06 2022
4

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: doowutchyalike, sex packets, freaks of the industry

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Wed Jun 22 2022
4

There sure aren't all that many hip hop concept albums, and this might even be the first. The first few tracks had me questioning my sanity. Is this ICP? Nope. ICP don't rap about underwater concerts. With 30 years reflection, this seems - well - kinda childish. I'd imagine that some 14 year olds would snigger along to the lyrics. Despite that, it's classic hip hop done actually pretty well, with good beats and excellent flow. Sure, some tracks needed the judicious application of the "skip" button but in the main, I quite enjoyed it.

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Thu Jul 14 2022
4

"Man, if I get another VCR imma hurt somebody." is possibly the best closing line to any album ever. Loved the production on this, some of it is obviously dated, but mostly it was just good fun.

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Thu Sep 15 2022
4

I knew nothing about the band or the album. And when listening to the opening track, The Humpty Dance, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear much more. Then the Hendrix sample on The Way We Swing got me totally interested & I have to say I loved this album. The title track is terrific, as is Rhymin On The Funk, both with Parliament samples, and I was also taken by Underwater Rimes, which felt like a hip-hop version of The B-52’s Rock Lobster. The impersonation of Edward G. Robinson’s gangster persona is a scream. And I loved the final track, Doowutchyalike. It said a lot about the band’s approach to music, as well as life. This is one of the most soulful hip-hop albums I’ve ever heard. A great listen.

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Thu Sep 15 2022
4

Wish I’d heard these guys in 1990! Sadly (?), my limited listening time today was focused on getting geared up for the Oils’ last ever show at the Palais. But from what I heard, I’ll be back to hear the rest.

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Thu Sep 22 2022
4

Classic

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Fri Sep 23 2022
4

Like this a lot. Good old school rap.

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Thu Oct 06 2022
4

So this is the humpty dance

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Fri Oct 07 2022
4

6/9 humpty dumped

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Sun Dec 11 2022
4

Incredibly hilarious!!! Concept album!!! Hehheh... Ei paljoa meikäläistä naurata... Hyvä flow.. Dumtsiga dum dum...

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Fri Dec 16 2022
4

RIP Shock G

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Thu Jan 12 2023
4

bay area rap from the 90s is fucking insane the samples on this record rule, 90s rap rules, long live digital underground

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Thu Feb 02 2023
4

Some cringeworthy, outdated themes but I do love me some old school hip hop.

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Fri Feb 10 2023
4

With a hip hop album from this time period, there are bound to be more than a few incredibly dated moments. This album is no exception. It is however, a very fun album that samples prodigiously from funk and soul records giving Digital Underground a very tangible connection to the music they are descended from. Lyrically, this album is all over the place. I laughed out loud at several points, and found the sex packets song cycle a bit out of place interesting though it was. I suppose that's why this album is on this list; it is a fascinating slice of hip hop history.

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Mon Mar 06 2023
4

More than just the two big singles this album is so dope! The musicianship is outstanding, Shock G was a beast and really underrated, they were hip hops answer to Parliament Funkadelic!

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Mon Mar 20 2023
4

Reminds me of the late 80s & the school dances I'd go. Loved doing the Humpty Dance. Good times.

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Mon Mar 20 2023
4

Classic album. I had it on cassette back in the day, and this was a fun trip back in time. "The Humpty Dance" is legendary, but there's plenty more to like here. "Freaks of the Industry" and "Doowutchyalike" are particularly memorable, and "Underwater Rimes" is a silly track that's always reminded me of Kip Addotta's pun-filled "Wet Dream." And that's one of the thing's that sets the Underground apart from most hip-hop acts; in an age where gangsta rap was starting to take hold of the industry, they weren't afraid to ditch the bravado, slap on a giant fake nose, and get goofy with it. Gotta love it.

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Wed Nov 11 2020
3

Seminal hip hop album. Like most of its ilk though... 15-20 mins too long!

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Wed Feb 03 2021
3

Dope beats, tekst is heel erg jaren '90 - zo onschuldig nog. Vind het verder niet echt een tof album ofzo, heb hem niet afgeluisterd.

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Fri Jan 22 2021
3

Crude to be sure.

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Thu Apr 08 2021
3

Interesting album. Clear rap lyrics. Was this an influential album? otherwise can't understand why is this is on this list. It does have the humpty dance on here.

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Thu Jan 28 2021
3

Bra! Jävligt oldschool, tidsmaskin till 80/90, det va coolt. Bra musiker. Men hela Sex Packets-delen?? Hahah va i helvete hände med texten? Aja, det va coolt, uppskattade att lyssna på det men vet inte om jag kommer lyssna igen.

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Sun May 16 2021
3

This is a throwback to school dances. Gotta admit I’ve only heard Humpty before this listen. The rest of pretty good, funky samples decent rhyming. Considering the era this is pretty darn good. RIP Shock G who just passed.

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Wed Apr 21 2021
3

It was alright. Seemed pretty typical late 80s, early 90s rap from what I remember.

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Thu Jul 15 2021
3

Schon ok

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Wed May 12 2021
3

Fun, classic hiphop

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Wed Jun 02 2021
3

Humpty Dance is great. Pretty funny album but drags a bit by the end

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Sun Jan 31 2021
3

Did really enjoy it. Some mega bants tunes. Did lose me 3/4 in. So will be revisiting

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Wed May 05 2021
3

Ik vond het een stuk minder erg dan ik vooraf gedacht had. Best vrolijke rap eigenlijk.

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Mon Apr 12 2021
3

Pleasant surprise. Not a fan of title track though...

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Thu Mar 11 2021
3

Fun. Not sure it's a must listen. Humpty Dance is enjoyable for sure.

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Thu May 06 2021
3

Album too long, songs too long. Enjoyable otherwise

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Sun Jun 06 2021
3

very catchy bits in some of the songs. had me singing lyrics i didn't even know

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Wed May 19 2021
3

Funny, not great hiphop but the lyrics were genius

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Thu Jun 10 2021
3

Pretty solid, but kind of overstays its welcome.

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Wed Jul 14 2021
3

Buen disco. No me atrapo alguna canción en particular, fue más como una sola unidad. Interesante y fresco

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Tue Jul 27 2021
3

Ekalla kuuntelukerralla jutut jaksoi hymyilyttää, mutta tokalla kerralla oli vähän raskaampi setti. Jätkillä on varmaan siistit Civicit, sen verran kovia panomiehiä olivat. Ja jonkun virtuaalipillerinkin olivat keksineet. Ei tämä mikään huono ollut, joten tarjotaan perus kolmosta.

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Wed Aug 04 2021
3

Strong 3 stars. It’s a good blend of hip hop and funk, but I find it very self aggrandizing.

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Sun Aug 08 2021
3

Remember it

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Sun Aug 15 2021
3

Schon ganz cool…

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Wed Aug 25 2021
3

Ok but pretty simplistic rhymes and often drawn of songs.

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Thu Aug 26 2021
3

Okay, in one respect, Sex Packets isn't all that impressive. The rhymes and rhythms aren't especially inventive, and since rap and hip hop are generally judged on these elements, that would seem to be a deal breaker. But Sex Packets has a few things in its favor. First, there is the amiable, relaxed quality of the raps. There is no misogyny or homophobia to be found here--this is a party record. On the breakout hit, The Humpty Dance, the subject is putatively sex, but the way these guys approach it, they're just joking around. The raps are reasonably humorous. It's a nice change. The second factor is, freed from the pressure to impress, the raps are fluid and effortless. Finally, and most importantly, the tunes are built on samples from the P-funk library and one Hendrix tune, so the musicianship is excellent by default. Okay, let's not get carried away. This is not a great record by any stretch. I mean, 90% of the music is by other artists, but even if it is good, but Digital Underground uses it in the least imaginative way possible. The lack of ambition, which allows Digital Underground to perform within their abilities, is a two-edged sword. While Sex Packets is a painless listen, it's a shallow one.

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Thu Sep 16 2021
3

Some real bangers in this album, some other songs were like cabbage island.... only okay.

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Sat Sep 18 2021
3

Fun, eclectic group of songs with a party vibe and a sense of humor. The concept part of the album is ridiculous, but they make it work somehow. Sampling could be more subtle, but hey, I like P-Funk. I'll allow it. Fave Songs: Doowutchyalike, Rhymin' on the Funk, The Danger Zone, The Humpty Dance

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Fri Sep 24 2021
3

Good beats, terrible lyrics

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Wed Oct 20 2021
3

Hip-hop can be corny, too. It wasn’t all gun battles and baby mama drama. (5/10) FT: The Way We Swing

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Thu Oct 28 2021
3

Pioneers in their own right

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Thu Oct 28 2021
3

Not really into it but big

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Thu Oct 28 2021
3

foundational but not especially enjoyable

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Fri Nov 12 2021
3

Humpty Hump always seemed like a fun joke song, and to be clear it isn't like DU is taking themselves too seriously here. But it's got some real jams and grooves. This is a fun album that is a lot more than skin deep

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Fri Nov 12 2021
3

Wow, not my normal kind of listen but interesting and fun to go through nevertheless!

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Thu Dec 02 2021
3

Some funk, some New Jack sound, love Shock G’s smooth voice/raps—gives me jazz hip hop/alt hip hop feels (a La Digable Planets, Tribe Called Quest, US3 etc). Very listenable—the lyrics/tracks don’t make come back though.

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Sun Dec 05 2021
3

This was cool, but a little undercooked for my taste

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Wed Dec 15 2021
3

I knew Humpty, but for the rest of this album, it was a first. It really grabbed my attention…for a while. The funky beats with the silly raps are very 90s danceable. I enjoyed the nostalgia of the sound. The bulk of the sexual themes were mostly uninteresting to me, and after a while it felt like it was too drawn out. I connected with many of the samples, and I enjoyed how DU used them…but then I just wanted to go listen to the sources of the samples.

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Sun Dec 19 2021
3

The Humpty Dance, Dowhatchalike, etc. Love the raunchiness. Takes me back to middle school dance parties.

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Wed Dec 29 2021
3

I sat in this album for weeks before I listened because I couldn’t imagine the album famous for The Humpty Dance would be particularly good, but it was actually decent. There were some clever rhymes but the general feel was like a knock-off De La Soul. Even if I didn’t think it was GREAT hip hop, it was enjoyable. 3.5/5 stars

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