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.
Retro Dance Record
Mac Dre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mic check 1, 2
I, I'm finna throw it back
I'm finna throw it way back
Like Miami when he was havin them Remi attacks
Wit yo muthaa, here we go
[Verse 1]
Now this is how I'm finna break it down
Now I'm at the plate, he's on the mound
I hit 'em out the park, never on the ground
Verbally gifted, urbally twisted
Simplistic, but futuristic
No lipstick, no mascara
I want a bitch that blow like Irene Cara
I bring terror, scare and fright
And don't go light if dare they might
Dolemite, Pretty Toney
If I was they age they'd be my homies
Reggatoni, shrimp alfrado
I say, "Tomato not Tomato"
I'm a muscian, lookin for groupies
And if you listen, I do it groovy
It really move me when I hear a funky beat
I come with heat, make 'em get up out they seat
I make 'em freak, I can make 'em cheat
I can make 'em buy it and bring the receipt
Tweedle-leet, whistle to the rhythm
I wanna see you do the Thizzle to the rhythm
Bounce, drop, make it pop
Now One Dropp, can you make it stop
Then bring it back, yeah like that
I'm kind of cheat, it ain't fair like that, I'm a pimp
[Hook - 2x]
Throw it back, do it baby retro
Big booty, shake it mami ghetto
For you, I'd walk to Modesto
You look special, shake it mami let's go
[Verse 2]
Christopher Colombus, Marco Polo
Solano County, Sac and Yolo
All after me man I got warrants
I drive with no liscence or insurane
My boy in Florence, Colorado
He a legend like Danny Mollanato
El Dorado, drop berits
School boy glasses and Fila fits
BMW's, Mercedes Benz
Stunna glasses without the lens
Spinnin rims, tremendous knock
I almost forgot I gotta send a shout
To that punk rock bitch who made me cum
In ten seconds flat man she's dumb
Dancin dumb, doin it live
Goin about, a buck o two on the five
Tunes brothers, Melle Mel
Hit Thunder Valley can't you tell
Millions, scrillions, lots of cars
R&B singers and movie stars
Rave music MDMA
Hyphy C-R-U-N-K
I said, Rave music MDMA
Hyphy C-R-U-N-K
The lyrics to Mac Dre's song Retro Dance Record tell the story of the rapper's musical journey and his love for the music that has influenced him. The opening lines reference Miami's Remi attacks, which is likely a nod to the popular 1980s drink, Remy Martin. The song then continues to highlight the rapper's love for funk and soul music, and his desire to mix old-school music with new-school beats. In the second verse, he references several famous explorers and locations, highlighting his travels and experiences in the music industry. The song's hook encourages listeners to get up and dance, cementing its place as a party anthem.
Overall, Retro Dance Record can be seen as an ode to old-school music and the way it has influenced hip-hop and modern music. Mac Dre's ability to weave together references to different musical eras and genres shows his ability to create innovative music that speaks to a wide range of listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Mic check 1, 2
Beginning the song, checking the microphone
I, I'm finna throw it back
I'm about to bring back an older style in this song
I'm finna throw it way back
I'm going to bring back a very old style in this song
Like Miami when he was havin them Remi attacks
I'm taking it way back, even before my own era, to the time when Miami was popular and Remi Martin was a popular liquor brand
Wit yo muthaa, here we go
With your approval and support, I'm ready to start
Now this is how I'm finna break it down
I'm going to explain my method and style for this song
Scott made the beat I like the sound
The music producer Scott made the beat for this song and I really approve of it
Now I'm at the plate, he's on the mound
Using baseball terminology to indicate that he is the main focus of the song right now and others are supporting him
I hit 'em out the park, never on the ground
I always succeed, I'm never failing in my work
Verbally gifted, urbally twisted
I have a natural talent for using language and I also have an urban style
Simplistic, but futuristic
My style is simple, yet it has a futuristic element to it
No lipstick, no mascara
I prefer my women to have a natural look
I want a bitch that blow like Irene Cara
I want a woman who is talented and can perform like Irene Cara, who was a popular singer in the 80s
I bring terror, scare and fright
I am very intimidating and can scare people
And don't go light if dare they might
Don't underestimate me because I can be dangerous
Dolemite, Pretty Toney
Referencing the blaxploitation film character Dolemite and the stage name of rapper Ghostface Killah
If I was they age they'd be my homies
If I was the same age as these people, we would be friends
Reggatoni, shrimp alfrado
Naming specific pasta dishes
I say, "Tomato not Tomato"
I pronounce the word tomato differently than some other people
I'm a muscian, lookin for groupies
I'm a musician and I'm looking for women who are fans of my music
And if you listen, I do it groovy
If you listen to my music, you will hear that it has a cool and funky groove
It really move me when I hear a funky beat
I am inspired and motivated by funky music
I come with heat, make 'em get up out they seat
My music is exciting and makes people dance
I make 'em freak, I can make 'em cheat
My music has a powerful effect on people, it can even make them act differently than usual
I can make 'em buy it and bring the receipt
My music is so good that people will want to buy it and keep proof of purchase
Tweedle-leet, whistle to the rhythm
Making a sound imitating a whistle and indicating that people should dance to the rhythm of the music
I wanna see you do the Thizzle to the rhythm
Thizzle is a style of dance popular in the Bay Area and he wants people to dance that way to his music
Bounce, drop, make it pop
Encouraging people to dance and move their bodies in certain ways
Now One Dropp, can you make it stop
Addressing the dancer One Dropp and asking if he can stop dancing so well
Then bring it back, yeah like that
Start dancing again, like you did before
I'm kind of cheat, it ain't fair like that, I'm a pimp
I'm cheating because my music is so good that it's not fair to other artists, and I'm also a ladies' man
Throw it back, do it baby retro
Encouraging people to dance in an older style
Big booty, shake it mami ghetto
Telling women with big butts to dance in the hip-hop style
For you, I'd walk to Modesto
I would do anything for the person I am addressing
You look special, shake it mami let's go
Addressing a woman he finds attractive and encouraging her to dance
Christopher Colombus, Marco Polo
Naming famous explorers
Solano County, Sac and Yolo
Naming specific counties in California
All after me man I got warrants
The police are after me because I have broken the law
I drive with no liscence or insurane
Admitting that he is driving without proper documentation
My boy in Florence, Colorado
Referring to a friend who is currently in prison
He a legend like Danny Mollanato
Comparing his friend to a famous mob boss
El Dorado, drop berits
Naming a car and a type of handgun
School boy glasses and Fila fits
Wearing fashionable glasses and clothing from the brand Fila
BMW's, Mercedes Benz
Naming luxury car brands
Stunna glasses without the lens
Wearing sunglasses as a fashion statement, even though they don't have lenses in them
Spinnin rims, tremendous knock
Having car rims that spin around and make a loud sound as they turn
I almost forgot I gotta send a shout
Remembering to give a quick acknowledgment
To that punk rock bitch who made me cum
Referring to a woman who he had sexual relations with
In ten seconds flat man she's dumb
Indicating that the woman is not very intelligent
Dancin dumb, doin it live
Dancing poorly, but still enjoying oneself
Goin about, a buck o two on the five
Driving around, spending a little bit of money on gas
Tunes brothers, Melle Mel
Referencing musical artists
Hit Thunder Valley can't you tell
Going to a casino and enjoying oneself
Millions, scrillions, lots of cars
Having a lot of money and assets
R&B singers and movie stars
Naming famous people in entertainment
Rave music MDMA
Naming a type of electronic music and the drug commonly associated with it
Hyphy C-R-U-N-K
Naming different genres of party music
I said, Rave music MDMA
Reiterating the previous line
Hyphy C-R-U-N-K
Reiterating the previous line
Contributed by Kennedy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.