Devin the Dude Albums (9)
What The Critics Say
Beginning with the lyrics "Well hello again my weed smoking friends," Devin the Dude's fifth album -- and his first for the Razor & Tie label -- is more of the same; chilled out weed and women anthems with plenty of cool funk productions. Maybe that sounds like an everyday Afroman, but for the uninitiated, Devin's skills are light years ahead of the stoner-rap competition with much more clever rhymes, an irresistible slacker flow, plus a rock-solid commitment to quality control that makes every release desirable, even when it's been there, done that. As slight as they are, Landing Gear's identifying features are the softer, more polished productions along with the superstar guest appearance from Snoop Dogg who goes puff for puff with Devin on the pimp-walking highlight "I Don't Chase 'Em." The heartbroken and hazy "Thinkin' Boutchu" offers the killer "You've just to get out of my mind/As the old school cassette rewinds/Time will reveal if we can make it last forever/You stole my heart but made it tougher than leather," but most of Devin's dealings with women are much more like Snoop's and will drive away those easily offended (plug the title "El Grande Nalgas" into your Babel Fish for proof). Devin's target audience, on the other hand, embraces sleaze, porno, weed, and hip-hop with plenty of memorable stingers, and seeing as how Landing Gear delivers on all counts, fans of Texas' most blunted rapper will once again be pleased. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
'To Tha X-Treme'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 17
Label Rap a Lot/Asylum
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Chopped and Screwed'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 17
Label Rap a Lot/Asylum
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Reminiscent of other great storytellers like Slick Rick, Devin the Dude is a true gift to laid-back Southern rap. This is his first real solo LP, and he didn't do it alone, given the presence of Raphael Saadiq, Xzibit, Nas, and Pooh Bear, and a couple of appearances by the Odd Squad. It's obvious that Devin put a lot of soul into this album, and it shows through in deep and reflective stories that evolve slowly through the album. Most of the songs are rather humorous, such as "R & B," which would seem to be about rhythm & blues, but it's really about Devin's need for reefer and beer. "Lacville '79" follows, one of the smoothest tracks on the LP. Again hitting some comedy notes ("I'm rollin', car not stolen, prolly never will be, it's much too olden"), Devin continues to tell a story about how he's happy with his girlfriend because she didn't mind pushing the car when it stopped working. The track titled "Who's That Man, Moma" is equally as amusing. The beats on the disc are smooth and funky, perfect slow-driving music. Devin's style is a mix somewhere between Too $hort and Warren G; he almost sings as he raps and it works wonderfully on this album. ~ Brad Mills, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On the basis of The Dude, Devin was labeled by some the new Too Short. In this case, it is actually a pretty on-target characterization. There are, of course, important differences. For one, he is a far sight funnier than Oakland's finest. To be deadly accurate, he's hysterically funny. And Too Short never attempted the smooth crooning into which Devin frequently and ably slides during his choruses. But in a more fundamental way, the Houston rapper is more like an updated and melodious hip-hop Dolemite, because the whole tone of The Dude is waka-waka blaxploitation smutty and smoove. The album title, in fact, is a reference and tribute to the 1974 Quincy Jones album of the same name, and as the rapper himself once pointed out, the main themes of his music are "weed, wine, and women," with little deviation. The music compliments the mood in every regard. Pimp-sleek bass is mixed with heavy-lidded Southern rhythms, while Devin floats through the libertine backdrops with a rather severe case of laid-back nonchalance. It is a winning combination devoid of all the typical playa politics -- violence and drama don't come within a country mile of these songs. If it is not exactly world-beater stuff, it definitely is an extremely randy good time. The Dude didn't sell too well with the general public; the album, however, did score some major points and found an admiring, devoted fan base in one place where it counted for extra: among Devin's fellow rappers. ~ Stanton Swihart, All Music Guide
