Mac Dre

Late rap heavyweight Mac Dre is widely regarded as a pioneer of the early-2000s Bay Area hip-hop subgenre and culture known as “hyphy”. • He was originally known as MC Dre, but he felt the “MC” made him sound like an East Coast rapper. He switched to Mac Dre to honour his rap mentor, Michael “The Mac” Robinson. • Around seventh grade, Dre began rapping about “The Crest”, his neighbourhood in Vallejo, California. The area was known for drugs and gang violence. • In 1992, Dre’s record label Romp Productions was accused of working with the local robbery crew Romper Room Gang. Dre was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery. • Dre’s four-year incarceration gave him a “better appreciation for freedom, life and fun.” He began writing lighter music made for dancing—a style now known as “hyphy”. • He relocated to San Francisco and founded the label Thizz Entertainment in 1998. • In November 2004, Dre was murdered at the age of 34. Artists such as Wiz Khalifa and Warren G sing his praises in the 2015 documentary Legend of the Bay.