DEVIN THE DUDE  (June 2006) | Interview By: Yash

   

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Interview was done in June 2006

Questions Asked By: Yash

Devin The Dude Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That Here

Full Interview In Audio Here
 

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Dubcnn: What is your life philosophy are you as chilled and easy going as you sound on the records?

Yea, I would believe so man, I’m often told that too so I would guess so.


Dubcnn: Ok, how do you maintain such a laid back attitude in life, any secret, or it’s just that’s the way you are?

Well I guess from previous experiences I guess let me know that a lot of things a waste of time to get emotionally upset with and a waste of energy sometime to be upset about it.


Dubcnn: When did you get into music, and start rapping?

I got into music at a very young age I was always recording and getting records and playing them all the time but I started rapping when I was in Junior High.


Dubcnn: Did you start off with that laidback sound too?

Yea pretty much it was all about partying and having fun and maybe some weed or thinking about women and stuff you know.


Dubcnn: When is the new album comin out?

I’m trying to wrap it up in the next few months and hopefully it be out by the end of the year or beginning of next year.


Dubcnn: Does it have a similar vibe to your first 3 albums?

Yep pretty much man same little vibe too it, tempo pretty much laid back stuff and the attitude is pretty much the same as far as lyrically.


Dubcnn: Ok so who's producing on the album?

Well right now we got our inhouse producers DJ Domination, Rawquest and I did a couple of tracks myself. I got tracks from a guy name Chuck Heat; he’s from LA Chaka Khan’s nephew. Plus we got a lot of track lots of local cats.


Dubcnn: Ok and do you have any guest appearances on there?

Well I have the Odd Squad on there, I got a couple of cats that’s been working with me; a guy named Tony Mack and right now we doing most that we can while we’re here and then when I start travelling I’ll get involved in it a little more and start getting more features.


Dubcnn: Have you ever thought of collaborating with DJ Quik?

Yea I thought about it before and thought that probably be a good idea.


Dubcnn: Yea man everyone been asking me to tell you that would be a good idea, we want to hear you on a Quik beat.

*laughs*


Dubcnn: So what was is your favourite song that you have ever made?

You know I probably would say a song called “Right Now” from the “To The Extreme” album because I was trying to get that out earlier I couldn’t get it out on the “Just Trying To Live” album and I didn’t even know if it would even be able to be out at all. But I finally got the chance to redo it, get it out and it came across pretty cool.


Dubcnn: How was it like working with R Kelly & Jay-Z on the Best Of Both Worlds CD?

Oh it was wonderful man! I didn’t do the actual recording with them you know they had to bump their tapes down during their tour and just to be apart of that was real cool and it surprised me because it was a wonderful thing.


Dubcnn: Are you going on a nationwide tour after this album is out?

That would be real cool man, I wouldn’t mind but I’ll just take a step at a time and get the music out but if a tour follows that it would be real cool.


Dubcnn: Do you plan on releasing your song "Yo Ho" produced by Dr. Dre

Hmm well he wanted to get a mix on it first and I wouldn’t mind the song being out but if he could put his touches on it and put his best on it that would be a much better feelin’.


Dubcnn: Have you spoken to him lately?

No I haven’t spoken to him lately.


Dubcnn: What about the songs you did that XXL reviewed for his album "Just Tryin Ta Live"; what happened to the songs you did with Snoop, and the songs Mel-Man produced?

What’s that now?


Dubcnn: I don’t know the name of it but I heard they reviewed it and they said that Mel-Man produced a couple of tracks on there and there was a song with Snoop Dogg that didn’t make the final cut.

On my album?


Dubcnn: Yea, on the “Just Trying To Live” album, is that true?

Umm I can’t recall a song that we made that didn’t make it.


Dubcnn: How involved are you in the production on your albums?

I try to do like 2 or 3 songs on each album.


Dubcnn: Ok tight, how many did you do on the new one?

I’m at 2 right now umm I’m at 2 and a half. I do a lot of collaborations on music also but like when I totally do something it’s 2 or 3. I got 2 now and maybe use one more I don’t know.


Dubcnn: Ok, is Mike Dean involved in the production or no?

No not just yet but it would be real cool you know to get some Mike Dean flavour on there.


Dubcnn: Were u ever approached by aftermath to sign to Dr Dre ? Like when you were on the Up In Smoke Tour?

Well during the tour we just had a talk and he said it would be cool if you know. That would be a real cool thing if I was on his label but that was just talk. It wasn’t nothing, we just sat down and get straightened out.


Dubcnn: What 5 artists would you want to work with that you haven’t yet?

Man anybody who I haven’t worked with. Its cool man I wouldn’t mind working with them man you know there’s a lot of talent out there to be actually involved in someone’s project man that would have been real cool. You know sometimes it just happens and doors open for me.


Dubcnn: Are you still with Rap A Lot?

Yea we got about one year with Rap A Lot. We’re still working out another label deal.


Dubcnn: You put out a project earlier this year with your brothers what was that called? Tell them about that.

That’s Coghee Brothers, that’s Odd Squad, myself and a few other DJ’s and artists that come to our studio. It had also a number of songs that we had done over the years, that hasn’t been put out on the previous albums so I just wanted to make a compilation of those.


Dubcnn: Where can people buy that? Where can they order it?

You can go to myspace.com/devinthedude or myspace.com/cogheebrotherz


Dubcnn: Will you be speaking on issues like the war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina on the new album?

Oh I don’t think so…*starts laughing.*


Dubcnn: *Laughs* just keeping it relaxed huh!

Well if it is it will be so subliminal and so in and out that you probably won’t be able to tell so...


Dubcnn: The South has been on fire lately, and some of the releases lately (eg. Bun-B, Paul Wall) have opted for a more commercial sound more than their previous efforts. Will you follow that trend?

Oh well no, I mean that’s a signature sound that Houston has now and It’s been a long time for us to be able to come out with something like that so that’s real cool to have. But I have certain style and like the music I listen to is little different so the music I’ll put out will sound different.


Dubcnn: Speaking of the Odd Squad…Will you put an album with them any time soon?

Actually man that’s a cool thought you know we’ve been thinking about that and adding some songs. We put some songs together so that might be a cool thing to look forward too.


Dubcnn: And some fan asked me to ask you`; what is the “Brian Patches”?

It’s just a song about a story of a book back in the day called Uncle Remys book of stories. There’s a story in there called the Brian patches. He paints all people around animals you know for a rabbit or for a fox and dialogue was like sort of hmm, it wasn’t easy to read but when you find out what it says it kind of has the slave terminology that language they had back then and you had to pick it out and it’s kind of funny actually and it was something I just got high too and remember so I made a song about it.


Dubcnn: Face told me in a interview few months back that he won’t do another song with you. Can you speak on what happened between you guys? Is it just business between Rap A Lot or is it some beef going on?

Well I don’t know I haven’t heard his comment man. Ain’t no beef or nothing I don’t know.


Dubcnn: Well he said he was cool with you but said we won’t see another Face and Devin song again.

Well I haven’t heard him say that so I don’t know for sure.


Dubcnn: What about him cancelling the European tour you and him were going on what happened with that?

Well he didn’t want to do it I guess. All I heard was it was cancelled because such and such. I don’t know the actual reasons why. I Didn’t cancel it.


Dubcnn: Can you tell us about the show in Boston wit Royce the 5'9 at the Middle East Club when police rushed the stage when you handed someone a swisha?

*laughs* Yea that was kind of cool man. But it worked out pretty cool man. It was sort of a wild night, feeling good, smoking big and I guess it was at a non smoking venue! *laughs*


Dubcnn:  *laughs* You know the same dude that you passed it to asked me to ask that question. Ok bro that’s about it for the questions, do you have any last words for the fans?

Well let them know I appreciate all the support over the years, and im working hard on the new album and i'm gonna have that good feeling to your ear when I bring it out later this year!