Sex Packets Explained

Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group Digital Underground, released on .

Album background

The album is a concept album about "G.S.R.A." (Genetic Suppression Relief Antidotes), a pharmaceutical substance that is produced in the form of a large glowing pill about the size of a quarter, which comes in a condom-sized package and is allegedly developed by the government to provide its intended users such as astronauts with a satisfying sexual experience in situations where the normal attainment of such experiences would be counter-productive to the mission at hand.

Release and reception

The album was released in the spring of 1990 following the success of its two lead-off singles: "Doowutchyalike", a moderate club hit, followed by "The Humpty Dance", which reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. Sex Packets was released to positive reviews and eventually achieved platinum sales.^[1] Newsday noted that "as the romantic—and in the end, middlebrow—self-consciousness of the artist seeps into hip-hop, Digital Underground turns it on its head, shuffling the goofy indistinguishably with the avant-garde."^[2] The Source praised the album's experimental fusion of musical styles, with Digital Underground incorporating jazz piano and funk elements into their hip-hop production. The reviewer highlighted tracks like "Doowhutchyalike" as a "unique whimsical party jam" and noted how "The Humpty Dance" gained widespread appeal among dance floor audiences. The review also commended the group's production approach of combining live drums and turntables.^[3] The album was re-issued on February 8, 2005, by Rhino Entertainment.

Legacy

In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Sources "100 Best Rap Albums".^[4] It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[5] The album is broken down track by track by Digital Underground in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.^[6] In 2022, Rolling Stone placed it at number 114 on their list of the "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time".^[7]

Track listing

Cassette

The cassette version of the album has 3 extra tracks, plus an extended version of "Gutfest '89"

Charts

Year-end charts

External links

• Sex Packets (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)
• Sex Packets (US Release) (Adobe Flash) at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Myspace . Viewmorepics.myspace.com . February 6, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090820001435/http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture . August 20, 2009 .
2. News: Leland . John . The Sounds to Watch in the '90s . Newsday . Jan 7, 1990 . Part II.
3. Mr. Reef . May 1990 . Digital Underground "Sex Packets" LP . . 3 . 3 . 42–43.
4. 100 Best Rap Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20060214200158/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm#100albums . usurped . February 14, 2006 . November 24, 2007 . The Source .
   1. 100
   . January 1998 . New York . 1063-2085.
5. Book: Robert Dimery. Michael Lydon. 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. March 23, 2010. Universe. 978-0-7893-2074-2.
6. Coleman, Brian. Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007.
7. The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time. Rolling Stone. Sheffield. Rob. Rob Sheffield. https://web.archive.org/web/20220612084957/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-hip-hop-albums-1323916/digital-underground-sex-packets-1990-1353118/. June 12, 2022. live.
8. Web site: Digital Underground ARIA Chart History (to February 2026). ARIA. Imgur.com. 11 February 2026. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
9. Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990. Billboard. May 11, 2021.
10. Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1990. Billboard. May 11, 2021.