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Thizz Entertainment is a
Sacramento Sacramento ( or ; ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. Located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers in Northern California's Sacramento Valley, Sacramento's 2020 p ...
-based, originally
independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...
, started in 1999 by rapper and music producer Andre Hicks, who was professionally known as
Mac Dre Andre Louis Hicks (July 5, 1970 – November 1, 2004), known artistically as Mac Dre, was an American rapper, record producer and songwriter from Vallejo, California. He was an instrumental figure in the emergence of hyphy, a cultural movement ...
, a
poster child A poster child (sometimes poster boy or poster girl) is, according to the original meaning of the term, a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters or other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlis ...
of the hyphy movement that swept through the Bay Area in the early 2000s. The label was relocated to the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
shortly after his untimely death. In 2004, Hicks was murdered by an unknown assailant while traveling after a performance in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
. Upon Hicks's death and at his written direction, his mother, Wanda Salvatto, (affectionally known as "Mac Wanda") became owner and CEO. There are no artists signed to the label, and the company's primary focus is to manage Mac Dre's expansive music catalog of over 25 albums, preserve his legacy, and hold artistic events to honor his memory.


Background

Mac Dre was a rapper of many monikers, a natural comedian with an incredible work ethic, and an artist who forever changed the course of Bay Area hip-hop. From recording verses through a phone while serving time for a robbery charge to bringing phrases like "thizz," "go dumb," and "ghost ride the whip" into the lexicon, Dre left an indelible mark on his community during his short but prolific lifetime. "It was always just great energy," friend and fellow rapper Mistah F.A.B. says of his performances. "You felt like when you left the show, you left Mardi Gras. That's just how dope he was." In 1999, Hicks had relocated to Sacramento and founded Thizz Entertainment.


Music


1999–2004

From its creation, the label, has been fundamental in the growth and popularity of the
Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Association of Bay Area Governments ...
Hyphy The term hyphy ( ) is an Oakland, California, slang meaning "hyperactive". More specifically, it is an adjective describing the hip-hop music and the culture associated with the Oakland area. The term was first coined by rapper Keak da Snea ...
movement. Mac Dre's most popular albums including, '' Ronald Dregan: Dreganomics'', ''
The Genie of the Lamp ''The Genie of the Lamp'' is the tenth studio album by Bay Area rapper Mac Dre released on July 20, 2004. The album features the work of several producers including Tone Capone in "2 Times & Pass"; Shouman on "My Alphabets"; and One Drop Scott in ...
'', ''
Thizzelle Washington ''Thizzelle Washington'' is the seventh full-length album by the late Bay Area rapper Mac Dre. Released in 2002, this album introduced the "Thizzle Dance", based on the track of the same name. Track listing #"Intro" - 1:37 (featuring Yukmouth) ...
'', ''
Mac Dre's the Name This is the discography of American rapper, Mac Dre. In the late 1980s, he released three albums with what Time (magazine), ''TIME'' Magazine called "the raunchiness typical of West Coast rap". In the 1990s, he received a five-year sentence but ...
'', were released under the label and distributed locally in partnership with City Hall Records in San Rafael.


2004–present

Dedicated to protecting the works and legacy of Mac Dre, the label does not sign recording artists. Rappers and musicians that were previously associated with Mac Dre and his labels, and are still active in music, continue to support the label's efforts by promoting the brand within their own endeavors, paying homage by adding a "Thizz" prefix to their own label or production company. However, outside of this small and exclusive group, "Many in the rap game attach themselves to the term ''“thizz”'' to make a name for themselves and ride Mac Dre's coattails" said Black Dog Bone, editor of Vallejo-based ''Murder Dog'' magazine, which chronicles the rap scene. Unaware of how frequently rappers and others were self-associating themselves with the label, Thizz Entertainment was shocked to learn in April 2012, eight years after Hicks's death, that it was named by US Drug Enforcement agents in connection with the mass arrest of 25 individuals in Vallejo, Stockton, Fairfield,
Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, and
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...
. Several that were arrested had falsely purported publicly to be signed and/or otherwise a part of the label. As of 2018, former Thizz Entertainment artists continue to support and assist Salvatto in curtailing flagrant misuse or misrepresentation of affiliation to the current label or Mac Dre's brand by unauthorized third parties.


Annual events

Ten years after his death, his mother was still receiving an excess of requests, comments, letters from young people, with stories of how Mac Dre affected them or got them through tough times in their young lives. “I didn't realize how big his presence was in the Bay Area and actually across the United States” stated Salvatto. She wanted to give young artists a chance who may not otherwise have an opportunity to showcase their talent.


Dre Area: The Mac Dre Art Show

In 2015, the label began to host an annual ''Dre Area: The Mac Dre Art Show'' in Oakland. The event showcases art pieces by various artists nationwide that are inspired by Mac Dre's legacy.


Mac Dre Day

In 2018, the label held its 3rd annual Mac Dre Day in San Francisco at The Regency Ballroom on July 5, what would have been Mac Dre's 48th birthday. “One of the reasons it's important” for the event to happen “is that he had an impact on young people in the Bay Area,” said Mac Wanda, going by the name because “that's what the kids call me.” The event was hosted by rapper Mally Mall and San Francisco radio station
KMEL KMEL (106.1 FM) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. KMEL has studios located in the SoMa district, and broadcasts ...
's DJ Amen and featured performances by
Tyga Micheal Ray StevensonMicheal Ray Stevenson
,
Nef the Pharaoh Tonee Hayes (born January 11, 1995), better known by his stage name Nef the Pharaoh, is an American rapper from Vallejo, California. In 2014 he was selected by fans as the "Bay Area Freshman of the Year" in a yearly contest held by Thizzler.com. ...
, Mistah F.A.B.,
Philthy Rich Phillip Anthony Beasley (born January 30, 1983), known professionally as Philthy Rich is an American rapper. from Oakland, California. He began his musical career in 2004 with extensive work with local rappers on various projects. He enlisted ra ...
, Coolio Da Unda Dogg,
Baby Bash Ronald Ray Bryant (born October 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Baby Bash (formerly Baby Beesh), is an American rapper. His first two albums, '' Savage Dreams'' (2001) and '' On Tha Cool'' (2002), were released by the independent Housto ...
and more, including several known rappers from the bay area that Mac Dre would frequently collaborate with over the years. There has been no incidents of negative occurrence at the events with Salvatto stating that she thinks fans understand that the show's organizer is his mother.


Other media

Thizz Entertainment created the DVD series ''Treal TV''. In 2014, veteran actor,
Tray Chaney Tray Chaney is an American actor and musician. He appeared on the HBO program ''The Wire'' as Malik "Poot" Carr, which became his most successful acting role. He also appears in the Bounce TV soap opera Saints & Sinners as Kendrick. Career Ch ...
, best known on the popular HBO drama series,
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
, announced that he has been selected to produce and star in two upcoming Mac Dre films in partnership with Thizz Entertainment. Inspired by the rapper
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
after he spoke to Salvatto on how much Mac Dre impacted his life and career, in 2015, Thizz Entertainment released the documentary, ''Legend of the Bay,'' narrated by rapper and journalist
Sway Calloway Jonathan Ahmad Calloway (born July 3, 1971), known as Sway, is an American radio personality, journalist and former rapper known for hosting music, news, and culture programming. He was an on-air reporter and host for MTV News and occasional non- ...
. The documentary details the Bay Area legend's life and includes never-before-seen concert footage, home movies, exclusive interviews with Mac Dre's friends, family, and music artists such as
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he signed with the local independent label Rostrum Records to re ...
,
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold ...
, and
Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and DJ who helped popularize West Coast hip hop during the 1990s.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. ...
.


References

{{Authority control 1999 establishments in California American record labels Companies based in Solano County, California Gangsta rap record labels Hip-hop record labels