Devin The Dude Interview: Smoker's Holiday (Done By Yours Truly)

[Lunatic]

http://www.wordofsouth.com/2010/04/12/devin-the-dude-interview-smokers-holiday/

Features | WOS | April 12, 2010 at 10:28 AM

Me & Devin had a real good time..he's a real dude, humble and down to earth..no publicists or managers, had me call him on his direct line..

WordofSouth.com: "Suite 4:20", the new album drops April 20th. First off, we want to talk about your Rap-A-Lot ending. Why the decision to part ways?

Devin the Dude: It was contractual. The contract was up. I had been there since 1998, ten years. I had a five albums or ten year thing - whatever came first type of deal. Rap-A-Lot is my family. It just came to a point where if I wanted to put future projects out with my groups like The Coughee Brothers and other solo artists, groups like 14K, The Odd Squad and people like Tony Mack - if I wanted to do that on my own scheduling, I would have to be an independent label myself and find distribution for it. I choose that route.

WordofSouth.com: Rap-A-Lot was all you ever knew so how did it feel to get off the label?

Devin the Dude: Oh man, it's been three years now (laughs). It's been cool. We're still family and everything. It just keeps going. We never stop working over here. It was just time for a change for me.

WordofSouth.com: So you're still down with J Prince?

Devin the Dude: Oh yeah. Everybody is still cool.

WordofSouth.com: A lot of people speak negatively about J Prince in the media but he's been holding it down as one of the greatest labels ever for a long time now. How do you see J Prince and his legacy?

Devin the Dude: I believe he set a model for independent record companies, especially hip hop independent labels. It was a very family oriented situation with a lot of groups and within the family of groups, individual solo artists. We always we're together and helped each other out with different projects here and there. He set the standards for actual record companies. I believe he set a model for people like Suge Knight, Irv Gotti, and Master P actually, and whoever was putting out records afterwards. There are a lot of people who looked up to J Prince and the format of coming out with independent record companies.

WordofSouth.com: No doubt. "Suite 4:20" is the new album - how ecstatic were you when you realized 4/20 fell on a Tuesday and you could actually pick it as a release date?

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) well it hit me early this year in December-January when we trying to find a release date for this new album. I wasn't really thinking of that because it was so far fetched, like six months before and we were trying to think of a good date within the next three months or so. It didn't really ring a bell until later when it was looking for a February release date. I looked on the calendar and said oh shit, 4/20 falls on a Tuesday (laughs).
Mind you, me and my homeboy DJ Domo thought about this. DJ Domo did tracks for me like "Boo Boo'n" and he helped me with tracks like "See What I Can Pull", "It's Gonna' Be Alright" and he's still down with me. Anyways, in 2007 he said "Yo Devin, you should name your album about weed and put it out on 4/20" and we were laughing, we were high and shit and said "no doubt, let's do it!" (Laughs). We looked at the calendar and we said oh shit, 4/20 doesn't fall on a Tuesday. We started looking for the next available release date that was going to be April 20th on a Tuesday and we kept flipping through the calendar and he says "oh damn Devin, there isn't a Tuesday on 4/20 until 2010" (laughs). I was like oh shit, I don't even know if I'll be rapping anymore, forget about it and we scratched that whole idea.

Here it is now. We just got through talking about it a few days ago again. Domo said "remember when we were talking about releasing something on 4/20 and we thought it was going to be too far away?" time has really past by man.

WordofSouth.com: Wow, that's crazy; a great story. Tell the readers about the first single, "What I Be On."

Devin the Dude: "What I Be On", for those who know of me and the style of rapping, what I talk about and rap about, what it is, "What I Be On" is my weed and my brew (laughs). I've been putting that out for years. I'm all about hustling and grinding too and getting my work out there, getting my work ethic together and taking care of responsibilities and all of that. I put it out there, "What I Be On", so I won't get offered anything else when I go to different places (laughs). That's not all about drugs and whatever you're on, it's also about taking care of your business and feeling good about what you're doing, and having fun with your life and being careful - working and partying at the same time (laughs). That's pretty much what it was with "What I Be On."

WordofSouth.com: Tell the readers about the production on the album in terms of the sound and people producing.

Devin the Dude: We have producers like Mirawge; he's an up and coming tight Houstonian producer that you're going to hear a lot from pretty soon because it's a production team called Mirawge & Big Baby. They did a couple of tracks on the album, "Still Coming" and another called "Funky Lil' Freestyle." Reggie Coby is from Austin, Texas and he did the single "What I Be On." Rob Quest from The Odd Squad did a couple of tracks, one by himself and he helped produce another track.

Mike Dean has been an extraordinary producer and engineer around here in Houston for quite a period of time. He helped launch Rap-A-Lot back in the day with the engineer, production and studio savvy that he has. He did a track on the album called "I Can't Handle It" which is like an old idea remake. I produced a couple tracks myself. Q-Stone produced on the album. He used to be out here but I think he's in Arizona now. He did some work with Z-Ro back in the day. He has some heat himself and he did a track called "We Get High." My homeboy C-Ray did a track called "Where you At" and he previously did a track called "El Grande Nalgas" on my "Landing Gear" album (laughs). He's an up and coming producer too that started not too long ago but he's getting better and better with every track.

WordofSouth.com: Cool. You know everybody loves to hear which guest appearances everyone has so go ahead and name off who you worked with this time around?

Devin the Dude: It's very close knit. It's mostly my in house family members. Of course I got The Coughee Brothers on there. We're so compiled in this little area knocking tracks out. I have Smit D on the album, he is from the original Facemob and the album we did in 1996, and he was an original Facemob member on that. He recently got out of a jail after a 12 year stint. He got out and hit the ground ready to roll. He is on a track called "I Got a Hoe" and another called "Ultimate High."

Oh yeah, Luster Baker is another producer on the album. He did a couple of songs on the album; he did that "Ultimate High" song with me and Smit D actually and he's a cool cat. Other features, The Odd Squad members of course - Jugg Mugg & Rob Quest; blind Rob, the Stevie Wonder of rap (laughs). That's my original group right there. We've been brothers, co-workers and family since day one. Look out for another Odd Squad album soon too. We've been vibing and chilling, taking care of family responsibilities. But Jugg Mugg & Rob are other features on my album.

My homeboy named School-Boy and Alpha-Bet-D are on a track called "All You Need" and they're pretty cool cats that you can look out for their solo projects also. Tony Mac is a solo artist with The Coughee Brothers. He sings very well and has a voice like a horn. He has a platinum sound and has been putting it down with me over the years for my albums. If you look at the credits, you'll find Tony Mac on a lot of tracks in the background and everything. It's time for him to come to the forefront and get the recognition he deserves because he is a cool cat and a nice artist.

14K is a group coming out of The Coughee Brothers and they're on a track called "People Talkin'." 14K is a group from New Mexico and they've been putting it down for years with us over here. Since they've moved to Houston, they came out here strictly to make something happen with the music and since they've been here, they've been putting it down. They were also on a song on our Coughee Brothers album called "Wait Our Turn" and they were on that. They showed up cold on that. They did a song with me previously called "Somebody Else's Wife" you may be familiar with; they did the verses and I did the hook. They were on another song of the same format called "I Need a Song", they did the rap verses on there and I did the hook. "People Talkin" is actually the same identical format (laughs). I do the hook, they rap the verses. These cats are on fire; wow man, look out for 14K for real. They're working on there solo projects too.

WordofSouth.com: Sounds like a great in house lineup. In your career, you've done tracks with a lot of big artists, and I'm only talking people which have appeared on your solo projects. We're talking people like Scarface, Nas, Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and more. Do you have a favorite that you've worked with on one of your own projects?

Devin the Dude: It's hard to say man. All of these cats that you just named, I love them to death and respect their music and craft. It was a blessing to have each and every one of those guys apart of my project. It's hard to pick a favorite. I guess the Dr. Dre appearance; he produced a track on my album. [DJ] Premier produced a track on my album also, the "Just Tryin' Ta' Live" album. It's hard to say though man (laughs). They're all such wonderful artists and people that it's hard to pick a favorite. Working with each and every single one of them was cool.

WordofSouth.com: You read my mind because you just brought up two people we're about to get into. Dr. Dre, it's been well publicized that you were about to go out there and reconnect with him. I know everything that happens with Dr. Dre is close knit and mouths stay shut, but if you have gone out there, what can you tell us?

Devin the Dude: It was crazy! There is something to look forward too, I'll tell you that much. He has a cast of artist features and a host of producers too that set him up with it. He's just waiting until its prime and right before he lets his baby leave the studio. It's going to be well worth the wait though. I got a chance to get on a song with him and hopefully it's a song he uses, Dr. Dre already had a verse on it and I added a verse on it. Hopefully I'll be able to make the album. If not, just to have an opportunity to go out there and be asked to be apart of one of his projects again, its overwhelming man. It was real cool (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: Exactly, at least you got to go out there and reconnect with him a little bit. Another thing I was reading was the possibility of you hooking back up with DJ Premier and his Texas artist, Kalil. What's come of that thus far?

Devin the Dude: That's still in progress. Premier likes to work up close and personal. I actually might just fly out to New York or wherever he wants to do it and get that done. That would be my pleasure. It would be an honor to work with Premier again.

WordofSouth.com: I know you have a large camp around you, but speaking of Texas artists, are you working with anybody?

Devin the Dude: I did a track with Rapid Rick; he's a well known DJ out of Austin, Texas and he just moved to Houston. He's doing a DJ mixtape and I did a song with Cory Mo, Chalie Boy and B.o.B. called "Gettin High." That track is fire so look out for that. I've been doing a few features with other artists here and there too; be it in Texas or local cats in the mid-west and wherever I go doing shows, if somebody wants me to do a feature and his the time and a studio available, we go ahead and knock it out.

Texas is still representing. A lot of people out there think since the spotlight isn't really on Houston or Texas like it was a few years back that the music itself has died and that can't be further than the truth. There are a lot of artists, groups and record labels that have been springing up since then. Look out for more music coming from down here in a little bit.

WordofSouth.com: That's a good thing too. With "Suite 4:20" being your 6th solo studio album, do you have a favorite solo album and if so, why?

Devin the Dude: The album I had the most fun with, I would probably say "The Dude."

WordofSouth.com: The debut is always the baby.

Devin the Dude: (laughs) I guess so man. As far as the business, I didn't have a fan base at all or anybody to prove something to. My responsibility level was so low because I didn't have a lot of kids (laughs). It was a rebel type thing. I could do anything, say anything and act as wild as possible. (Laughs) it was so much fun because it was so care free. I didn't know a lot and I didn't take the blame for a lot of stuff that went wrong because I was so new and green to it. I had the most fun with that album.
Interview: No pun intended with being so "green" to it.

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) yeah for sure man. Since then, the green weed has been getting a little better with each album.

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) your smoking more expensive nowadays.

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) your right my man.

WordofSouth.com: Something about you, you have a real loyal fan base. It's almost like a cult like following; they like your music so much. Why do you think that is?

Devin the Dude: Maybe the herb has a little something to do with it. They kind of bridges the gap with a lot of differences that people have with each other. The fact that weed opens the mind of people and allows them to have better conversations and your thought process is a little more open. No matter what color, creed, race, rank or whatever, people can vibe together and love each other by smoking weed, chilling and have better conversations.

WordofSouth.com: No matter what color or race, well weed is only color right?

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) the effect of it man. It makes everything cool. I guess that's one of the things, a lot of them [my fans] being weed smokers, a lot of them (laughs)...it's quite a few of them that don't smoke weed and they listen to my music too. What I've heard, I say something that affects them or stuff that they want to say sometimes but they don't know how to. Some of them, I've heard they find my music uplifting and I tell my stories so well; it doesn't sound like anything; trying to live with a job, it inspires artists. I try to do that in my songs. I don't try and come off as somebody who is hard in the streets or flamboyant with the jewelry or a know-it-all with the knowledge. I just like to be the average Joe who is trying to get by and live right positively. I guess a lot of people feel that way, the struggle circles them together.

WordofSouth.com: With that said, where do you see your place in hip hop as a whole?

Devin the Dude: Just to be apart of it is cool. Where I'm placed is probably not even up to me. Just to be in it somewhere is ok, to be looked at, heard of or to have somebody respect my music, to admire my work - that means so much to me. People can place me wherever. As long as I'm in the circle somewhere, I'm cool (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) Ok. You told a cool story earlier about the 4/20 date not hitting until 2010 and you weren't sure you'd still be rapping but here you are today. Will Devin the Dude still be rapping in ten years?

Devin the Dude: In ten years? (Sings melody) "I don't know, I might be singing the blues." I might be singing the blues or something because you see, in ten years from now, I'll be considered a old rap artist, so if I start singing the blues, I'll be considered a young artist (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) I like that one. At this point in your career, which do you rather have - the loyal and stable fan base or publicity and fame? I think I already know your answer.

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) the more people that listen to me, the better. I don't know if that places me with the insane people or just the loyal followers or wherever. I like being heard by the majority and hopefully from there, I'll have gained a lot of other loyal fans that haven't even heard of me until recently. Hopefully, I just want acquire loyal fans and to be as loyal to them as they are to me.

WordofSouth.com: No doubt. What advice do you have for any up and coming artists that may look up to you and are trying to break into the game?

Devin the Dude: Ok, if you have short hair, don't use Murray's Wave Grease when you do a show because the lights, that shit will have you sweating and it's going in your eyes and it burns man.

WordofSouth.com: (Laughs) it affects your performances.

Devin the Dude: (Laughs) nah man. Give it up to Murray's because I've been down with them for year's man. That's been my partners for decades (laughs).
But real advice man, stay close to your craft. Stay true to yourself. Say what's on your mind and try to make it rhyme. Embrace constructive criticism from your close friends and family. Don't ever let that totally change your style but make it help your style. Keep pushing and there will definitely be a lot of times where you're going to be at a point where you want to give up, and that's natural so don't think that's something big that's going to be in your life all the time. It's natural to feel you can't go any further or you want to give up and try something else. Dig deep and try to realize what you really love. When you love something, it doesn't even feel like work when you're doing it. That's what it is; just keep pushing.

WordofSouth.com: I like that. It's well known that another Houston legend has put his retirement talks to bed and is working on his new album. Of course I'm talking about Scarface. Have you had a chance to contribute anything yet?

Devin the Dude: I talked to Face recently. When we were mixing my album at Mike Dean's crib, Scarface came through. He was putting out some work and was vibing, chilling, rhyming, tripping and having fun. I haven't done anything on his project yet but if he has any openings and it's the right place and right time, I would love to be apart of that.

WordofSouth.com: Cool. I really appreciate your time Devin, you're live on www.wordofsouth.com. You have the new album "Suite 4:20" coming on April 20th. Do you have any last words before I let you go?

Devin the Dude: Much love to www.wordofsouth.com and much love to all my fans and followers and the people that haven't heard of me. I want to give a shout out and get well soon to Guru of Gang Starr; we have you in our prayers man. Hopefully when this album "Suite 4:20" comes out, you'll get it and you'll like it. Hopefully it'll be alright. Much love and respect to all. Good looking out mayne.

- INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo

[Muhfukka]

skimmed through it, pretty good interview but do interviews really need a title?

[Lunatic]

skimmed through it, pretty good interview but do interviews really need a title?

On WOS, they do. It's protocol.

[Laconic]

Thanks for the interview, man.  I'm hoping that this new record is better than Landing Gear though.  That's easily his worst to date.  Devin is the dude for real though...well, him and Lebowski.

[Blood$]

dope interview once again

4/20 is going to be VERY expensive this year with all of these releases dropping, but I can't wait for Devin's album the most 

[sav]

Very good interview. 

Props.