California’s Bay Area has been a melting pot for some of the world’s most unique and prosperous rap artists for decades. The likes of Too Short, Richie Rich, Yukmouth, Keak da Sneak, E-40, and a multitude of others all hail from the area.
The late Mac Dre is another person on the list of artists from Northern California that managed to attract the ears of listeners all across the globe. A representative of Vallejo, California’s Country Club Crest neighborhood (better known as the Crest Side), Mac Dre received a substantial fanbase with his debut album, Young Black Brotha. A portion of the album was recorded over the phone while Mac Dre was incarcerated for conspiracy to commit robbery. His association with the Romper Room Gang—a group of bank robbers that were highlighted on an episode of B.E.T.’s “American Gangster” series—brought forth his incarceration; he refused to cooperate with law enforcement and name other members of the gang and was sentenced to a five-year prison bid.
After his release from prison in 1997, Mac Dre dropped the albums Stupid Doo Doo Dumb and Rapper Gone Bad. He went on to launch his record label Thizz Entertainment, and continued dropping projects that generated a significant amount of buzz and developed him a cult-like following. He’s also one of the prominent people responsible for the success of the “hyphy” movement. And he’s known by many more for his popular “Thizzle Dance.”
Unfortunately, Mac Dre’s life came to an end on the early morning of Nov. 1, 2004. He was fatally shot as he rode on the passenger side of a van on the freeway in Kansas City, Missouri. His murder remains unsolved.
A big fan of Mac Dre’s music, I’ve created a list of 10 of my favorite songs by the cuddie. Check them out below.
AHumbleSoul 