Andre Hicks (July 5, 1970 - November 1, 2004), better known by his stage na… Read Full Bio ↴Andre Hicks (July 5, 1970 - November 1, 2004), better known by his stage name, Mac Dre, was a Bay Area based gangsta rapper from the Crest side of Vallejo, California, active since 1988 and considered one of the predecessors of the hyphy movement. During his career in the rap world, he worked with artists like Andre Nickatina, Yukmouth, Snoop Dogg, Mac Mall, Dubee and Keak da Sneak.

Career

Mac Dre's music gained popularity in the early to mid 1990s throughout the Bay Area, eventually receiving national recognition through his independent record labels Romp and Thizz Entertainment. He released many hit singles, such as "Too Hard for the Radio", and most recently "Feelin' Myself". He was the creator of the "Thizzle Dance", a popular dance which holds no specific standard. Hardship and controversy were staples of Mac Dre's career. After recording his first three albums between 1989 and 1991, Mac was charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. His record label, Romp Productions, and his many references to "Romper Room" in his songs, coincided with a Vallejo robbery gang of the time calling themselves the "Romper Room Gang" and responsible for the robberies of many area banks and pizza parlours. Hicks was alleged to be a member of the gang. The rapper was sentenced to five years in prison in 1992.

In prison, Hicks gained some notoriety by recording the lyrics to songs directly over the Fresno County jail inmate telephone. His album, Young Black Brotha, was a result of such efforts, as well as guest appearances on fellow artists' songs, all while Hicks was still imprisoned. A later album, Back 'N Da Hood, was also made up of these prison-recorded songs.

After his release from prison in 1996, Mac Dre began releasing albums steadily, building pace in the early 21st century. Mac Dre's audience was growing, and mainstream hip-hop stations were beginning to give Hicks' music more airtime. Hicks relocated to Sacramento, California in 2001, where he began a label, Thizz Entertainment.

Death

On November 1, 2004, Mac Dre was shot to death while returning to his hotel after a performance in Kansas city. A car pulled up next to the white van carrying Dre along with other Thizz artists. Whether words where exchanged or not, the ordeal ended in the bloodshed of a bay area rap legend. The van swerved off the road and into a ravine where it ran into a tree. Word is that Dre was thrown from the van, but officials say they found him in the front seat, dead on arrival. Some believe that Mac Dre's killer was Kansas City rapper Anthony "Fat Tone" Watkins. In 2005 Watkins was murdered, allegedly by Bay Area rapper Mac Minister. In March 2006, Mac Minister was arrested by FBI officials.

Don't Snitch
Mac Dre Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Verse 1:]
Man Im Threw Fuckin Around
You Niggas Keep On U Gon Be Duckin Sum Rounds,
I Rush The Mound , Bitch Hit Me Wit A Pitch He A , He A Snitch N He Walk Wit A Switch.
He In A Band That Sing For The Cops,
Him And His Mans They Cleanin Up Shop,
Undercover , Conture Promoter , Rick Shroter Tryin To Turn Sombody Over,
Put That Et Finger Up , Eat Stulee, Don't Tattle Tale The Number One Rulee

You The Jumpers The Boys The People
Slipped In The Game Sellin Toys To People I Avoid People Don't Ask Me Shit , The Only Law I Break Is The Public Grip
My Mouth Zipped I Plead The Fifth And Niggaz Like You Get Pushed Off A Cliff.

[Chrous:]
Don't Ask Me Shit
I Tell Man
I Dont Tell
U Can Send Me To Jail Man
Send Me To Jail
[x4]

[Verse 2:]
Im On To U Boy ,
U Used To Be The Man
Til I Crossed U N The Court Room Sittin On The Stand , Got To Waivin Ya Hand N Pointin Ya Finger
All N The Mike Like Sum Kind Of Rap Singa
I Seen U , U Told , N Now U Got To Live Wit Big Ol Bitch U Prolli Said Bigs Did It
Fuck You , Fuck Wut U Gettin To , Fuck Wut U Goin Threw , N Fuck Wit U Went Threw
Consider This A Warning To U Case Out Rapping , The Streets Get Ugly When The Drop Out Happen,
You Rap Niggas Out Here Starvin For Fame , And Ya'll Niggas Act Like Its All N A Game,
Cuz Niggas N The Streets Wanna Blast This Bitch , N When It Happen Dun Ask Me Shit

[Chrous x4]

[Verse 3:]
U Can Line Em Up N Put 12 N A Box N Find Out Ya Boy Workin Wit The Cops,
Doing Flipflops , The Roller , Rolling Over ,
For The Tootsie Roller , Scanned To Do It Flower
Its October We Can't Be Gon Til November
So We Givin Up The Game Everre Damn Winter
And Everrethang He Remember He Telling
He Get Out Of Jail Free
He Aint No Bailin
He's Not Felon, He's No Mr Needy
He Got A Target Melon And An Et Finger
Nigga U The Cleaners , Tryin To Watch Me
Quick Peepin At Muh Beemer
Tryin To Watch Me

[Chrous: Repeat Until Fade]

Overall Meaning

In Mac Dre's song Don't Snitch, he warns people who collaborate with police and turn in their friends or colleagues. In the first verse, Mac Dre tells his listeners not to snitch, and he insults those who do, describing them as cowards who walk with a switch. He accuses a band that sings for the cops of cleaning up shop, and he warns people not to tattle-tale. Mac Dre believes that the only law he breaks is his right to free speech and that people like him are pushed off a cliff.

In the second verse, Mac Dre speaks in the second person to someone who was on top but then ended up in court and pointed fingers to get a better deal. Mac Dre warns the person that such behavior makes them a target in the streets and tells them not to ask him for help if something happens.

In the third verse, Mac Dre talks about someone who works with the cops and rats on their friends. He tells them that they will get found out eventually and gives them a warning to stop before they end up in jail for good.

Line by Line Meaning

Man Im Threw Fuckin Around
I'm done messing around

You Niggas Keep On U Gon Be Duckin Sum Rounds
If you keep it up, you'll be in danger

I Rush The Mound , Bitch Hit Me Wit A Pitch He A , He A Snitch N He Walk Wit A Switch
If someone tries to mess with me, they'll regret it - especially if they're a snitch

He In A Band That Sing For The Cops
He's in a group that supports the cops

Him And His Mans They Cleanin Up Shop
He and his friends are trying to clean up the streets

Undercover , Conture Promoter , Rick Shroter Tryin To Turn Sombody Over
There are undercover cops and promoters trying to get somebody to spill the beans

Put That Et Finger Up , Eat Stulee, Don't Tattle Tale The Number One Rulee
Don't be a snitch - that's the most important rule

You The Jumpers The Boys The People
You're one of the guys who gets people jumped

Slipped In The Game Sellin Toys To People
You got involved in the game by selling drugs to people

I Avoid People Don't Ask Me Shit
I stay away from people and don't answer questions

The Only Law I Break Is The Public Grip
The only law I break is talking about illegal stuff in public

My Mouth Zipped I Plead The Fifth And Niggaz Like You Get Pushed Off A Cliff
I won't say anything incriminating and people like you will end up in trouble

Im On To U Boy , U Used To Be The Man Til I Crossed U N The Court Room Sittin On The Stand , Got To Waivin Ya Hand N Pointin Ya Finger All N The Mike Like Sum Kind Of Rap Singa
I know what you did and how you talked in court - you acted like a snitch and a performer

I Seen U , U Told , N Now U Got To Live Wit Big Ol Bitch U Prolli Said Bigs Did It
I saw you snitch and now you have to live with the consequences

Consider This A Warning To U Case Out Rapping , The Streets Get Ugly When The Drop Out Happen
Consider this a warning to stop rapping about the streets because things can get dangerous

You Rap Niggas Out Here Starvin For Fame , And Ya'll Niggas Act Like Its All N A Game,Cuz Niggas N The Streets Wanna Blast This Bitch , N When It Happen Dun Ask Me Shit
Rap artists are hungry for fame and act like the streets are a game, but when someone gets hurt, I won't say anything

U Can Line Em Up N Put 12 N A Box N Find Out Ya Boy Workin Wit The Cops, Doing Flipflops , The Roller , Rolling Over ,For The Tootsie Roller , Scanned To Do It Flower
You can get a group of people together and find out who's working with the police and gets people in trouble

Its October We Can't Be Gon Til November So We Givin Up The Game Everre Damn Winter
We have to take a break from the game in October and November because it's too risky, but we'll be back in the winter

And Everrethang He Remember He Telling He Get Out Of Jail Free He Aint No Bailin He's Not Felon, He's No Mr Needy He Got A Target Melon And An Et Finger Nigga U The Cleaners , Tryin To Watch Me Quick Peepin At Muh Beemer
He remembers everything he told the police and thinks he can get out of jail easily. He's not a felon and has a plan, but I know he's just trying to keep an eye on me and my car

Don't Ask Me Shit I Tell Man I Dont Tell U Can Send Me To Jail Man Send Me To Jail
Don't ask me anything about illegal activity because I won't say anything. Even if you try to intimidate me by sending me to jail, I won't talk

Contributed by Andrew F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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