Andre Lamond Adams (born March 11, 1970), better known by his stage name Andre Nickatina, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. He previously performed under the stage name Dre Dog.

Andre Nickatina
Birth nameAndre Lamond Adams[1][2]
Also known asDre Dog
Born (1970-03-11) March 11, 1970 (age 54)[1]
San Francisco, California, United States
GenresHip hop, West Coast hip hop, hyphy
Occupation(s)Rapper
Producer
Years active1992–present
LabelsIn a Minute Records, Dogday, Fillmoe Coleman, Million Dollar Dream, I-Khan, 75 Girls Records
Websitewww.andrenickatina.com

Personal life

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Andre Adams was born on March 11, 1970, in San Francisco, and grew up in the city's Fillmore District.[3]

Musical career

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Andre Nickatina first appeared on the Bay Area rap scene in 1993 underneath the stage name Dre Dog. He released two albums under the stage name Dre Dog: The New Jim Jones in 1993 and I Hate You With a Passion in 1995. I Hate You With a Passion peaked at #79 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. In 1997, Adams changed his stage name to Andre Nickatina, and released the albums: Cocaine Raps under his own label, Filmoe Coleman Records and Raven in My Eyes, which was released under the Bay Area Independent Rap Label Dogday Records.[4] Unlike his albums released under the name Dre Dog, Cocaine Raps had deeper production values [First Collaborations with Producer Nick Peace]. The album Raven in My Eyes was noted for its production quality and songs that combine "sequencers and keyboards that buzz and whine" with live instrumentation.[5] That year, he founded his own record label, Filmoe Coleman Records. Nickatina explained in an interview with Strivin magazine that his name change was "for the better" and that he raps because he feels that he is talented enough to do so but not for the sake of popularity.[6]

Soon afterwards, his following three albums, Tears of a Clown (1999), Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2, The Unreleased [Sold exclusively at shows and appearances] and These R the Tales (the latter three in 2000) gained him notoriety in the West Coast underground rap scene.[4] Mosi Reeves of the San Francisco Bay Guardian noted Nickatina's popularity at a CD release party for another underground Bay Area rapper/producer, Smoov-E; Reeves called Nickatina "a quick-witted rapper who spits as hard as Kurupt does".[7] A combo CD/movie project, Conversation with a Devil, followed in 2003.[4] Lindsay Welnick, a music critic for SF Weekly, regarded the film as a knockoff of the classic gangster movie Scarface.[8] Nate Denver for the SF Bay Guardian praised the album, though.[9] Another album, The Gift followed in 2005, when the newspaper SF Weekly named Nickatina the "Best Local Hip Hop Legend" of that year. That same year, he would collaborate with Ilych Sato, better known as Equipto, for his 14th studio album titled "Horns and Halos", which would be accompanied by two sequels later that year and in the following year. Also, in 2005, Nickatina won the first annual Bay Area Raps Awards for Best Underground Artist. In 2008, he released A Tale of Two Andres with Mac Dre. Although they released only three songs together ("Andre N Andre", "U Beezy", "My Homeboy's Chevy"), they were close friends and the album was a tribute to his memory.[10] Nickatina's self-entitled 2013 album debuted at #46 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #12 on the Heatseekers Albums chart, and at a time appeared on iTunes' main albums chart, making it his most successful album to date.

In 2020, Nickatina released a line of sneakers called "Killer Whales" with the Clothing Coach.[11] Also in 2020, Nickatina appeared on San Francisco rapper Dregs One's single "Fog Mode" and in the accompanying music video.[12]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Release Peak chart
positions
US
R&B
US
Heat
US
Heat
(Pacific)
The New Jim Jones
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: In-a-Minute
I Hate You with a Passion
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: In-a-Minute
79 7
Cocaine Raps
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: Filmoe Coleman
Raven in My Eyes
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Dogday
Tears of a Clown
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Fillmoe Coleman
Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Million Dollar Dream
These R the Tales
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Fillmoe Coleman
Conversation with a Devil: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 3
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Fillmoe Coleman
3
Bullets, Blunts In Ah Big Bankroll
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Nicky Rose
Booty Star: Glock Tawk
  • Released: 2007
  • Label: Nicky Pearl
Khan! The Me Generation
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: Fillmoe Coleman
40
Andre Nickatina
  • Released: 2013
  • Label: Fillmoe Empire
46 12 1
Pisces
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: 75 Girls
DRUGZ
  • Released: 2020
  • Label: 75 Girls

Collaboration albums

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Compilation albums

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  • Unreleased (2001)
  • Hell's Kitchen (2002)
  • Khantology: Cocaine Raps 1992–2005 (2006)
  • Khantology 2: Cocaine Raps 1992–2008 (2009)
  • Cocaine Inc. (Cocaine Raps Vol.1, Vol.2, Vol.3) (2009)

Soundtrack albums

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  • The Gift (2005)
  • Ugly Money 2: Love It and Count It (2009)

Mixtapes

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  • Green Eyes (2003)
  • Tales of II Andre's with Mac Dre (2006)
  • The Wrath of Khan hosted by Demolition Men (2007)
  • Where's My Money (2012)

Extended plays

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  • Cupid got Bullets 4 Me (2014)

References

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  1. ^ a b "Andre Adams search". California Birth Index.
  2. ^ "A YO". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  3. ^ News, Amelia Williams, Bay City (June 24, 2023). "Beloved SF rapper Andre Nickatina reworks his music on the symphony stage". Local News Matters. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c Gabriel, Robert (2003). "Andre Nickatina - Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  5. ^ Inoue, Todd S. (1998-01-08). "Andre Nickatina - Raven in My Eyes". Metroactive. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  6. ^ Doxx (2005-08-19). "Classic Interview - Andre Nickatina (formerly Dre Dog)". Strivin. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  7. ^ Reeves, Mossi (2002-09-18). "Smoov-E CD-release party, with Andre Nickatina, First Degree the D.E., and Be Gee". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  8. ^ Amter, Charlie (2003-12-03). "Money, Power, Day Care". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
  9. ^ Denver, Nate (2003-10-22). "Local Grooves - Conversation with a Devil: Cocaine Raps No. 3 (Fillmoe Coleman)". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
  10. ^ "Best Local Hip Hop Legend (2005) - Andre Nickatina". 2005. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  11. ^ "SF Rapper Andre Nickatina Creates Sneaker Line with Local Clothing Designer Deezoe the Clothing Coach". SFist. Archived from the original on 2020-11-12.
  12. ^ Harshaw, Pendarvis. "A Salute to San Francisco Rap". KQED. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15.
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