Andre Lamond Adams (born March 11, 1970) better known by his stage name Andre Nickatina, is a American rapper from San Francisco, California. Andre was raised in the city's Fillmore District. He previously performed under his stage name Dre Dog.
Andre Nickatina first appeared on the Bay Area rap scene in 1992 underneath the stage name Dre Dog. He released two albums under the same name: The New Jim Jones in 1993 and I Hate You With a Passion in 1995. I Hate You With a Passion debuted at #79 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. In 1996, he changed his name to Andre Nickatina and released the albums: Cocaine Raps under his own label, Fillmoe Coleman Records and Raven In My Eyes was released on the independent Bay Area rap label Dogday Records. Unlike his albums released under the name Dre Dog, Cocaine Raps had deeper production values (first collaboration with producer Nick Peace) and the LP Raven in My Eyes was noted for its production quality and songs that combine "sequencers and keyboards that buzz and whine" with live instrumentation.
In 1997, he founded his own record label Fillmoe 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.
Soon afterwards, he released the following three albums: Tears of a Clown in 1999, Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2 (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.
In 2005, he released an album called The Gift and in the same year he collaborate with producer Equipto for his 14th studio album Horns and Halos, which would be accompanied by two sequels later that year and in the following year. In 2008, Andre would collaborate with his fellow Bay Area rapper Mac Dre for the album A Tale of Two Andres and released the singles: "Andre N' Andre", "U Beezy" and "My Homeboy's Chevy", they were close friends and the project was tribute in his memory.
In 2013, his self-titled album reached #46 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #12 on the Heatseekers Albums chart and it appeared on iTunes main albums chart, making it his most successful album to date.
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
- 1993: The New Jim Jones
- 1995: I Hate You With a Passion
- 1997: Cocaine Raps
- 1998: Raven In My Eyes
- 1999: Tears of a Clown
- 2000: Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2
- 2000: These R the Tales
- 2003: Conversation With a Devil: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 3
- 2004: Bullets, Blunts In Ah Big Bankroll
- 2007: Booty Star: Glock Tawk
- 2010: Khan! The Me Generation
- 2013: Andre Nickatina
- 2016: Pisces
- 2020: DRUGZ
Collaborative Albums[]
- 2002: Midnight Machine Gun Rhymes and Alibis (with Equipto)
- 2005: Horns and Halos (with Equipto)
- 2005: Gun-Mouth 4 Hire: Horns and Halos 2 (with Equipto)
- 2006: Bullet Symphony: Horns and Halos 3 (with Equipto)
- 2008: A Tale of Two Andres (with Mac Dre)
- 2010: The King and Mr. Biscuits (with Smoov-E)
- 2010: My Middle Name Is Crime EP (with Tha Jacka)