Dresta
{{short description|American rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gangsta Dresta
| image =
| caption =
| image_size = 144
| birth_name = Andre DeSean Wicker
| alias = {{flatlist|
- Gangsta Dresta
- Big Dre
}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970 |4|18}}
| birth_place = Compton, California, U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Rapper
- songwriter
}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 1993–present
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- B.G. Knocc Out
- Eazy-E
- MC Eiht
- King Tee
- Kam
- Lil Eazy-E
- Sylk E Fyne
}}
}}
Andre DeSean Wicker (born April 18, 1970), better known by his stage name Gangsta Dresta, is an American rapper. He is best known for collaborating with Eazy-E on the 1993 single "Real Muthaphuckkin G's".
He is the older brother of rapper B.G. Knocc Out, who is also featured on the song. Together, they released their only studio album Real Brothas, in August 1995, which peaked at #128 on the Billboard 200. In 1996, the pair appeared on the remixed version of the South Central Cartel song, "Knock on Wood".
Early life
Andre Wicker was born and raised in Nutty Blocc in Compton, California.[http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/3122496690_a1a553945c_b.jpg BG Knocc Out & Dresta]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Rap Pages. Retrieved on 2009-07-27 He and his brother Arlandis Hinton, also known as B.G. Knocc Out, became Nutty Blocc Compton Crips.[http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/352/54/ Interview: West Coast Legend Dre'sta!] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204050840/http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/352/54/ |date=December 4, 2008 }} (HTML) Raptalk.net. Retrieved on 2008-10-19 He was convicted of assaulting another gang member in Compton in 1988, and was incarcerated at the California Youth Authority in Camarillo until 1993.{{cite news |first=Mack |last=Reed |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61055527.html?dids=61055527:61055527&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+13%2C+1992&author=MACK+REED&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Shooting+Straight+in+Jail+Juvenile+corrections%3A+A+videotape+production+course+at+a+California+Youth+Authority+facility+in+Camarillo+offers+job+skills+and+a+reason+to+avoid+crime.&pqatl=google |title=Shooting Straight in Jail Juvenile corrections: A videotape production course at a California Youth Authority facility in Camarillo offers job skills and a reason to avoid crime. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |date=January 13, 1992 |format=Fee required |access-date=July 27, 2009 |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023192605/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/61055527.html?dids=61055527:61055527&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Jan+13,+1992&author=MACK+REED&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Shooting+Straight+in+Jail+Juvenile+corrections:+A+videotape+production+course+at+a+California+Youth+Authority+facility+in+Camarillo+offers+job+skills+and+a+reason+to+avoid+crime.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}
Music career
While Dresta was serving his five-year sentence, he started writing lyrics and rapping, gaining some notoriety. Within months of Dresta's release, he and B.G. Knocc Out signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records and made their debut on Eazy's 1993 multi-platinum EP It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa on the single "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" (which was censored to "Real Compton City G's" in order to garner MTV and radio airplay).[http://www.dubcnn.com/interviews/bgknoccout-dresta/ B.G. Knocc Out Interview] (HTML) Dubcnn. Retrieved on 2008-10-12 The song itself was a response to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's various 'diss' records towards Eazy-E on Dr. Dre's debut album, The Chronic.
In 1995, Dresta and B.G. Knocc Out released their debut studio album Real Brothas, which remains their only album to date. At the end of the same year, they made three guest appearances in Eazy-E's posthumous album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton.
After B.G. Knocc Out's incarceration in 1998, Dresta worked with Death Row Records and appeared on two tracks from Death Row's Too Gangsta for Radio compilation, but never actually signed to the record label.
Dresta stated in an interview that he is currently working on Dirty West mixtape series and on upcoming solo album, hinting possibility of Real Brothas to get re-released. Dresta also wrote a song for Dr. Dre's album Detox, but Dre didn't want to collaborate with him. He criticized Dr. Dre for surrounding himself with mediocre artists and the numerous delays of his Detox album.
Personal life
=1994 shooting=
On January 14, 1994, Tyrone Thomas (also known as Tony Bogard), Andre Wicker and Rodney Compton were involved in a gang confrontation in Imperial Courts housing projects.{{cite news |first=Lucille |last=Renwick |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59283469.xml?dids=59283469:59283469&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+15%2C+1994&author=LUCILLE+RENWICK%3B+JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Veteran+of+Gangs%27+War+and+Peace+Dies+by+Gunfire+Violence%3A+Tony+Thomas+is+killed+by+suspected+drug+dealers.+He+may+have+been+trying+to+counsel+them.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130731190646/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59283469.xml?dids=59283469:59283469&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+15,+1994&author=LUCILLE+RENWICK;+JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Veteran+of+Gangs'+War+and+Peace+Dies+by+Gunfire+Violence:+Tony+Thomas+is+killed+by+suspected+drug+dealers.+He+may+have+been+trying+to+counsel+them.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 31, 2013 |title=Veteran of Gangs' War and Peace Dies by Gunfire Violence |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |date=January 15, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=July 27, 2009 }} Thomas and Compton were former PeeJay Watts Crips{{cite news |first=Shante |last=Morgan |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sandiego/access/1242060111.html?dids=1242060111:1242060111&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+15%2C+1994&author=SHANTE+MORGAN&pub=The+San+Diego+Union+-+Tribune&desc=L.A.+grieves+at+killing+of+Crip-Blood+peacemaker&pqatl=googlem |title=L.A. grieves at killing of Crip-Blood peacemaker |newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune |location=San Diego |date=January 15, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=November 25, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and Thomas had helped to organize a truce between Crips and Bloods in Watts, Los Angeles in 1992.{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF66A686A9C13DC&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Gang Truce Organizer Fatally Shot On Street |newspaper=Daily News of Los Angeles |location=Los Angeles |date=January 15, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=November 25, 2010 }}
At around 6:30 p.m., a shooting began in a parking lot in the 2200 block of East 114th Street. 25 shots were fired, six of which hit Thomas,{{cite news |first=Jesse |last=Katz |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59481274.html?dids=59481274:59481274&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+01%2C+1994&author=JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Man+Freed+in+Death+of+Gang+Leader+Courts%3A+Rodney+Compton+is+to+get+one+year+probation+in+the+slaying+of+Tony+Bogard%2C+who+helped+reach+a+truce+between+the+Crips+and+Bloods.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131144822/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59481274.html?dids=59481274:59481274&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+01,+1994&author=JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Man+Freed+in+Death+of+Gang+Leader+Courts:+Rodney+Compton+is+to+get+one+year+probation+in+the+slaying+of+Tony+Bogard,+who+helped+reach+a+truce+between+the+Crips+and+Bloods.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |title=Man Freed in Death of Gang Leader Courts: Rodney Compton is to get one year probation in the slaying of Tony Bogard, who helped reach a truce between the Crips and Bloods. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |date=June 1, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=November 25, 2010 }} who was said to be the prime target of the shooting. According to witnesses, Thomas was carrying a pistol and he shot back at the assailants, possibly wounding two of them.
Thomas and Wicker were subsequently hospitalized in Martin Luther King, Jr. Multi-Service Ambulatory Care Center, where Thomas was pronounced dead. Wicker was in critical condition while arriving to the hospital, but received a surgery for a gunshot to his left arm and was released the same week.{{cite news |first=Lucille |last=Renwick |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59283285.html?dids=59283285:59283285&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+15%2C+1994&author=LUCILLE+RENWICK%3B+JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Peacemaker+Among+Gangs+Is+Cut+Down+by+Gunfire+Crime%3A+Tony+Thomas+helped+forge+truce.+He+walked+fine+line+between+hero+and+target+of+culture+he+tried+to+reform.&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104132805/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59283285.html?dids=59283285:59283285&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+15,+1994&author=LUCILLE+RENWICK%3B+JESSE+KATZ&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Peacemaker+Among+Gangs+Is+Cut+Down+by+Gunfire+Crime:+Tony+Thomas+helped+forge+truce.+He+walked+fine+line+between+hero+and+target+of+culture+he+tried+to+reform.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |title=Peacemaker Among Gangs Is Cut Down by Gunfire Crime: Tony Thomas helped forge truce. He walked fine line between hero and target of culture he tried to reform. |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |date=January 15, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=November 25, 2010 }} Compton was wounded in the arm and treated at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. He was later charged with the murder of Thomas,{{cite news |first=Jesse |last=Katz |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59289246.html?dids=59289246:59289246&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+19%2C+1994&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Man+Wounded+in+Gang+Peacemaker%27s+Death+Is+Charged&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131142903/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59289246.html?dids=59289246:59289246&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+19,+1994&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Man+Wounded+in+Gang+Peacemaker's+Death+Is+Charged&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |title=Man Wounded in Gang Peacemaker's Death Is Charged |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |date=January 19, 1994 |format=Fee required |access-date=November 25, 2010 }} but was released from jail after pleading no contest to one count of voluntary manslaughter on May 31, 1994. Wicker was sentenced to one year probation under terms of a plea bargain.{{cite news |last=Katz |first=Jesse |date=June 1, 1994 |title=Man freed in death of gang leader |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/2184457.html?dids=2184457:2184457&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+01%2C+1994&author=Katz%2C+Jesse&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Man+freed+in+death+of+gang+leader&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104132841/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/2184457.html?dids=2184457:2184457&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+01,+1994&author=Katz,+Jesse&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Man+freed+in+death+of+gang+leader&pqatl=google |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |access-date=November 25, 2010 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |location=Los Angeles |format=Fee required |url-status=bot: unknown }}
Discography
=Collaboration albums=
- Real Brothas with B.G. Knocc Out (1995)
=Guest appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:20em;"| Title ! scope="col" | Release ! scope="col" | Other performer(s) ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row" | "Real Muthaphuckkin G's"
|1993 |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Kuz Itz Like Dat"
| rowspan="2" | 1994 |Menajahtwa, The Fyrm | rowspan="2" |Cha-licious |
| scope="row" | "Da Laz Zhit"
|Menajahtwa |
| scope="row" | "Ole School Shit"
| rowspan="5" | 1995 | Eazy-E, B.G. Knocc Out, Sylk-E. Fyne | rowspan="3"|Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton |
| scope="row" | "Sippin' on a 40"
|Eazy-E, B.G. Knocc Out |
| scope="row" | "Gangsta Beat 4 tha Street"
||Eazy-E, B.G. Knocc Out, Menajahtwa |
| scope="row" | "Knock on Wood" (Video Version)
| South Central Cartel, L.V., The Evil Side G's, B.G. Knocc Out, Sh'Killa, Gripsta, Jayo Felony |
| scope="row" | "Down Fa Mine" |
| scope="row" | "Streets Won't Let Me Go"
|1996 |
| scope="row" | "Straight Outta Compton" (Remix)
| rowspan="3"| 1998 |
| scope="row" | "Black Pussy"
| MC Eiht, Crooked I | rowspan="2"| C-Style Presents Straight Outta Cali |
| scope="row" | "Victims of Reality"
| Big Bub, Nate Dogg |
| scope="row" | "On the Run"
| rowspan="2"| 1999 |
| scope="row" | "Survival of the Fittest"
|WC, Young Shane |
| scope="row" | "Give It up for Compton"
| rowspan="2"| 2000 | | rowspan="2"|Too Gangsta for Radio |
| scope="row" | "Too Gangsta"
| Young Hoggs |
| scope="row" | "They Like Dat"
|2001 |Kam, Jayo Felony, Yukmouth, Spider Loc |
| scope="row" | "Undadawgs"
|2002 |
| scope="row" | "Gangsta Movement"
|2006 | Lil Eazy-E, B.G. Knocc Out |Cali Untouchable Radio 14: Rebirth of Gangsta Rap |
| scope="row" | "Blaze It Up"
|2007 |Tha Dogg Pound, B.G. Knocc Out, Glasses Malone, Jayo Felony |
| scope="row" | "Wake Up"
| 2009 | Daddy V, RBX, Att Will, Tha Chill | OG Daddy V Presents Compton N Longbeach |
| scope="row"|"West Indeed"
|2012 | Celly Cel, Young Maylay, Young Dre the Truth, Killa Polk |Celly Cel Presents - Cali Luv |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Gangsta+Dresta Discography] at Discogs
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204050840/http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/352/54/ 2008 interview] of Dresta
{{Def Jam Recordings}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:African-American male rappers
Category:21st-century American male rappers
Category:20th-century American male rappers
Category:American people convicted of assault
Category:American shooting survivors
Category:Def Jam Recordings artists
Category:Rappers from Compton, California
Category:Rappers from Los Angeles
Category:Ruthless Records artists
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:21st-century American male musicians