| Dresta | |
|---|---|
| Dresta in June 2009. Dresta in June 2009.
| |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Andre DeSean Wicker |
| Also known as | Gangsta Dresta |
| Born | April 18, 1971 |
| Origin | Compton, California, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Rapper |
| Years active | 1993-present |
| Labels | Outburst/Def Jam |
| Associated acts | B.G. Knocc Out, Eazy-E |
Andre DeSean Wicker[1] (born April 18, 1971),[1] better known by his stage name Dresta, is an American rapper known for collaborating with Eazy-E on the 1993 single "Real Muthaphuckkin G's". He is also the older brother of rapper B.G. Knocc Out, who also collaborated in the song.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Andre DeSean Wicker was born and raised in Compton.[2] He became a Crips gang member[3] with his brother. They would be affiliated with Nutty Blocc Compton Crips set.[4] He was convicted of assaulting another gang member in Compton in 1985 or 1986, and was incarcerated at the California Youth Authority in Camarillo.[5]
Early music career[]
While serving his ten-year sentence, he started writing lyrics and rapping seriously, staying in close contact with B.G. Knocc Out.[2] After Dresta's early release, Eazy-E eventually discovered the brothers, met up and recorded songs with them.[2][6]
Dresta and B.G. Knocc Out signed to Ruthless Records with Eazy-E. They both appeared on the Eazy's 1993 multi-platinum EP It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa on single "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" (which was censored to "Real Compton City G's" in order to garner MTV and radio airplay). The song itself was a response to Dr. Dre's and Snoop Dogg's various diss records towards Eazy-E on The Chronic. Due to the success of "Real Muthaphuckkin G's", the brothers gained some exposure and were inspired to record an album of their own.
After Eazy-E's death in 1995, Dresta and B.G. Knocc Out released their debut album Real Brothas, which remains their only album to date. At end of the same year, they made three guest appearances in Eazy-E's posthumous album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton.
After Real Brothas[]
After Eazy-E's death and B.G. Knocc Out's incarceration, Dresta worked with Death Row Records. Dresta appeared on two tracks from Death Row's Too Gangsta for Radio compilation, but never actually signed to the label.[3]
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 upcoming album Detox, but Dre didn't want to collaborate with him. He also criticized Dr. Dre for surrounding himself with mediocre artists and delay of Detox.[3]
He currently resides in Lancaster, California.[1]
Personal life[]
In January 1994, Dresta survived multiple shotgun wounds during a gang confrontation between P Jay Crips members and rival gang members in Imperial Courts housing projects.[7]
Besides his assault conviction, Dresta is a registered sex offender convicted of "Lewd or lascivious acts with child 14 or 15 years old" and "sexual penetration with a foreign object". His entry on California's sex offender registry does not show when those crimes and convictions occurred.[1]
Discography[]
Albums[]
| Album information |
|---|
Real Brothas
|
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Template:Citeweb
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 BG Knocc Out & Dresta Rap Pages. Retrieved on 2009-07-27
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Interview: West Coast Legend Dre'sta! (HTML) Raptalk.net. Retrieved on 2008-10-19
- ↑ "Crips" (PDF). Gang Resistance Education And Training. http://www.greatonline.org/Conference/PDF/Cuthbertson_Media_Violence.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ↑ Template:Citeweb
- ↑ B.G. Knocc Out Interview (HTML) Dubcnn. Retrieved on 2008-10-12
- ↑ Template:Citeweb
External links[]
- Template:Myspace
- Discography at Discogs
- 2008 interview of Dresta
Template:Def Jam Recordings
fr:Gangsta Dresta it:Dre'sta pl:Dresta fi:Dresta