Andre “Mac Dre” Hicks, the wildly popular Bay Area rapper and icon of the early 2000s Hyphy movement, was memorialized in his hometown with a street named in his honor on Tuesday.
Dozens of Vallejoans packed City Hall Tuesday evening, cheering when the City Council unanimously voted to approve the renaming of Taper Avenue between Taper Court and Fairgrounds Drive in North Vallejo’s Country Club Crest neighborhood. Street signs will now read Mac Dre Way Honorary.
“Mac Dre gave the Bay Area a soundtrack,” said Mike Rosenthal, a Vallejo resident and artist who goes by K.O.B., during a packed public comment period on Tuesday. “He wasn’t just a rapper. He was a voice for our generation.”
Public commenters spoke to the importance of honoring Mac Dre, who contributed to Vallejo in countless ways — from turkey drives to inspiring generations of young artists in Vallejo and putting their city on the map.
Mac Dre grew up in Vallejo, spending much of his life in the city’s northerly Country Club Crest neighborhood, also called The Crest.
He started making music as a teenager, gaining prominence in the local music scene following the 1989 release of his “Young Black Brotha,” which included the hit track “Too Hard For The F—kin’ Radio.” Mac Dre went on to host the popular rap docuseries Treal TV, further popularizing the Bay Area music scene. He was killed in 2004 while on tour in Kansas City.
“Mac Dre showed us that you didn’t have to leave where you came from to make an impact,” said Rosenthal. “He gave people a style. He gave people a movement. And most importantly — he gave us all something to be proud of.”
Mac Dre’s verses ranged from playful to serious, diving into the struggles and joys of growing up Black in Vallejo and the often brutally unfair criminal justice system.
Solano County Supervisor Cassandra James, who lives in the Country Club Crest, said that it’s significant to see so many people from her neighborhood at a City Council meeting.
“Mac Dre showed us that you didn’t have to leave where you came from to make an impact. … He gave us all something to be proud of.”
Mike Rosenthal, Vallejo resident
“Folks from The Crest are fighting for opportunities,” said James after the vote. “There’s a disconnect between North Vallejo and City Hall — sometimes, you have to bring the dais to community.”
James noted that Mac Dre Way Honorary was an entirely community-led effort.
“They didn’t have professionals to write the applications,” said James. “This is clearly the community deciding.”
Mac Dre Way Honorary is the latest of several street re-naming efforts in recent years honoring Vallejo’s rich musical history. In 2023, the city dubbed nearly a mile of Magazine Street E-40 Way Honorary — named for the famous rapper who grew up in the area. In 2025, the city renamed part of Florida Street to ConFunkShun Street Honorary for a 1970s funk group from the city.