The Dude

“The Dude” is the debut solo studio album by Devin the Dude, released on June 16, 1998, through Rap-A-Lot Records.

The story

Devin Copeland was born in Pontiac, Michigan, and raised mostly in Houston. In the late 1980s he formed the Odd Squad with Rob Quest and Jugg Mugg, whose 1994 Rap-A-Lot album “Fadanuf Fa Erybody!!” impressed Scarface. He went on to join Scarface’s Facemob and sang uncredited on “Hand of the Dead Body” before launching a solo career at Scarface’s urging. J. Prince and Scarface served as executive producers, and the title nods to Quincy Jones’s song “The Dude.” The single “Do What You Wanna Do,” backed with “Boo Boo’n,” was issued in 1998.

Sound and production

Production came from Domo, Joe Bythewood, N.O. Joe, Tone Capone and Mr. Lee, among others. The seventeen tracks run close to 73 minutes and feature Scarface, Spice 1, K-Dee, DMG, the Odd Squad and K.B. The record set out the approach Devin became known for: laid-back delivery, understated humor and everyday stories, often centered on marijuana.

Legacy

The album reached No. 177 on the Billboard 200, No. 27 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. It introduced Devin as a solo artist, and he soon gained wider exposure through a guest spot on Dr. Dre’s 1999 album “2001.” He is often credited as a pioneer of stoner rap in the South.

Released June 16, 1998. More from hip hop in 1998.