Texas rapper, Devin the Dude has been a guilty pleasure of hip-hop since he and his Odd Squad hit the scene in the early 90's. Known for his homegrown blend of the lighter side of reality, the rapper returns with his fourth studio release, Waiting To Inhale, courtesy of Rap-A-Lot Records.
Since his debut, The Dude has become well known for his humorous social commentary, which has earned him the nickname, the "Richard Pryor of Hip-hop". The laugh's and the thought provoking dialogue continue with his latest release on Rap-A-Lot Records. Waiting to Inhale, though a little less raunchy than his previous offerings, including 2 Tha Extreme, he still comes as raw and uncut as ever, as he laces the classically styled grooves provided by his original Coughee Brothers crew.
Devin the Dude, born Devin Copeland, began his hip-hop career when he joined Houston's Coughee Brother's crew. Soon thereafter he and Rob Quest added longtime friend Jugg Mugg to the equation and created the Odd Squad. The group's original dj, known as DJ Screw submitted their demo to Rap-A-Lot records CEO James Smith and they were immediately signed in 1992. Releasing their first album together Fadanuf fa Erybody in 1994 the group's unique style, flow and themes quickly made them a favorite on the underground. Recognizing his genuine appeal, Houston's Godfather of hip-hop invited Devin to join another group, Face Mob which only put out one album together (The Other Side of the Law,1996). When Face Mob broke up it was time for Devin to strike out on his own and he delivered his first solo classic The Dude. As a fan of Smokey Robinson's LP of the same title, Devin's first solo offering was filled with the same style of funk laden grooves doused with the Coughee Bros signature brand of smoothed out hip-hop production and secured The Dude as a classic hip-hop album with his ode to Wine, Women and Weed. Although the album lacked the commercial success many felt it deserved, it brought Devin to the attention of the likes of Dr. Dre who invited the rapper to do a verse on the hit single "F*%k You" on Dre Dre's Chronic album in 2001.
That single alone thrust the Dude into a different stratosphere as everyone one wanted to get a piece of Devin's antics sprinkled on their projects. Working with everyone from De La Soul and Raphael Saddiq to Nas and Jay-Z, Devin the Dude's sometimes crass, but always hilarious perspective on life has added life to every verse he blows. Releasing two more solo projects on Rap-A-Lot (Just Trying 2 Live,2002 and 2 Tha Extreme,2004) Devin the Dude has become what many call a cult favorite in underground hip-hop. Ever so faithful to his Odd Squad/Coughee Bros roots, his latest release Waiting to Inhale is proof that like fine wine, it just gets better with time.
The first single from the new album "Little Girl Gone," featuring Bun B and Lil Wayne, is a glimpse into the more emotional side of the Dude, as he delves into the inner-city's inner child gone awry. Although the perils of the streets aren't always a laughing matter, humor always gives hope as far as the lyrical crooner is concerned. "We didn't have a title for the album until just recently when DJ Damu came up with Waiting to Inhale" explains Devin, "Since it's kind of like the male perspective of the movie Waiting to Exhale I thought it was perfect." The album deals with an array of relationship issues dealt with from the male perspective and is filled with funk, soul and plenty of laughs.
From the homicidal ballad, "Just Because," to the hilarious skits, Devin plans to make his fans see the cultural dramedy of everyday living. Although the perils of the streets aren't always a laughing matter, humor always gives hope as far as the lyrical crooner is concerned. These day's since creating what he feels is some of his best work, Devin wants to focus on the behind the scenes and wants to get more involved with production and artist development so he can pave the wave for future up and coming artists. Waiting to Inhale drops March 20, 2007 on Rap-A-Lot Records. For more information visit www.myspace.com/devinthedude: or www.rapalotrecords.com:
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