davy d said it best:
Back in 1991 the city of Oakland suffered one of the most devastating fires in the history of this country. Lots of lives and property were destroyed from what started out as a small fire from a burning coal. I recall that day vividly because Public Enemy was in town performing. I recall seeing a small fire in the Oakland Hills early that morning and figured that it would be put out in a relatively short period of time without much fan fare. Who would've thought in their wildest dreams that small fire that started because of a burning coal would become a raging inferno. There are very few people who in Oakland who don't know some one who was directly effected. I know several people who lost family members and at least 10 families who lost houses.
One of the casualties to that the Oakland fires was Digital Underground. Many within the group lived in an apartment complex that was completely devoured by the blaze. Shock G lost all his original music, old school tapes, art work and recording studio. DU co-founder Chopmaster J lost his house and recording studio. Among the items destroyed were the original 1989 recordings from a young brash brother named Tupac and his group Strictly Dope which included DJ Dizzy and Ray Luv. Chopmaster had recorded and produced much of Pac's earlier work and as far as he was concerned it perished in the inferno. Not too long ago Chopmaster came across a master reel that was stored in his mother's basement. To his surprise it was the original 2Pac recordings. Needless to say it was a treasure of a find.