| Sex Packets | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Digital Underground |
| Cover: | Sex Packets.jpg |
| Recorded: | 1989 |
| Genre: | Hip hop |
| Length: | 65:26 (CD) 81:14 (Cassette) |
| Producer: | Digital Underground |
| Next Title: | This Is an EP Release |
| Next Year: | 1991 |
Sex Packets is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Digital Underground, released on .
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.
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 album was re-issued on February 8, 2005, by Rhino Entertainment.
In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Sources "100 Best Rap Albums".[3] It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[4] The album is broken down track-by-track by Digital Underground in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.[5]
The cassette version of the album has 3 extra tracks, plus an extended version of "Gutfest '89"
| Chart (1990) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[6] | 57 | |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[7] | 26 |