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Dres Tha Beatnik, a renowned MC, beatboxer, and culture conservationist, has died at the age of 51.
AllHipHop has reported that the Atlanta underground rapper had been struggling with chronic kidney disease for a while before he succumbed to his demise on Monday, June 9. According to the outlet, his prognosis, despite being labeled "chronic," was initially hopeful, making the news shocking for most. At the time of writing, his exact cause of death remains unclear.
The beatboxer, a native of Philadelphia, chose the moniker D.R.E.S., which stood for "Divine Real Essence of Sound." Legally known as Andre Lett, he first gained traction for his beatboxing skills, as he nabbed the Amateur World Beatbox Championship winning title. He also worked alongside several East Coast reps, including Rahzel and Scratch.
Dres Tha Beatnik is also known for having launched and served as the host of the World Famous Mic Club at Club Apache from 2002 to 2008. The event was an initiative to radicalise hip hop freestyle battles by eliminating cash prizes and so-called “ringers.”
Dres Tha Beatnik's life and legacy explored as a wave of tributes comes pouring in
The announcement has triggered a wave of mournful tributes from the Hip-Hop community, including Killer Mike, who took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt statement:
“U are cornerstone of Atlanta, hip-hop and underground culture,” he said. “You will be mourned forever, loved and cherished always and celebrated in this realm and beyond! We have lost a hero @dresthabeatnik we have lost a leader and library of history in losing you. Forever my love and respect. Job well done and thank u curator of culture and leader.”
VIBE has reported that Run the Jewels spinner Trackstar the DJ has also chimed in with a tribute:
“Such an amazing dude, and was a huge part of our journey. I miss him already,” he wrote.
Goodie Mob member Big Gipp reacted to the news with a "wow," a comment he left on a post that announced Dres Tha Beatnik's demise.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also offered his condolences, stating:
“Dres tha Beatnik was a unifier, a creative force, and a true champion of Atlanta’s hip-hop and arts community.”
As reported by VIBE ahead of his passing, Dres Tha Beatnik was seemingly in good spirits as he was spotted with family and friends in various social media posts:
“Good Morning World!!!” he penned in a recent Instagram post. “Well today is the day for Surgery #2. I’m kinda excited about it because of the benefits of it towards my overall health. Whatever or However it goes down please pray for me. Thanks In Advance.”
He later informed fans that his surgery was a success, as he thanked them for their support and prayers:
“Got home from hospital at 11:30 PM last night. I’m tired. I’m hurting of course, but the surgery was a success. I drove myself to the hospital yesterday. So my car is still at EMORY. I gotta go and pick it up today. If anybody in the area can give a brother a ride that would definitely help. Just looking forward to the next step and thanking all of you for your prayers and your positive thoughts, so give a call if you can… give me a shout out if you can I’ll see you guys soon. I got work to do these bills don’t pay themselves LOL.”
Fiona Bloom, the Atlanta radio icon cum publicist, told AllHipHop that:
“Gutted to learn that Dres Tha Beatnik has passed. He lit up every room he walked into and was an acrobat in his lyrical flow and bonkers on the beatbox. One of the best hosts on the planet. Warm and charismatic and hilarious!! This is a huge loss not just for Atlanta but the Hip-Hop Planet.”
Dres Tha Beatnik is known for having served as a major contributor to his community, as he hosted several unique events like “Beats, Brews and Views,” which aimed to blend music, film, and culinary experiences. It paved the way for members to build connections across Atlanta’s wide array of communities.
Sol Messiah also took to his Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute:
"I was blessed to build with this brother for over 30 years. I remember when he first moved from Philadelphia, full of energy and love for the culture of Hiphop, which is what he and I bonded through. Though the physical might not be here you will always be with us, beloved brother @dresthabeatnik. Love and light to your family. We will continue your legacy. You are a true Titan."
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