Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2010 > November > 07 > Entry
Fun Fun Fun Fest review: Devin The Dude
Tammy Perez
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
“This ain’t no Cheech and Chong movie.”
It’s true. Devin The Dude wasn’t lying when he drawled that line about 20 minutes into his feel-good, celebratory set Saturday at Fun Fun Fun Fest, as msrs. Marin and Chong were nowhere to be found. But the marijuana comics were there in spirit as the Houston MC and a contingent of assisting mic spitters cut through a haze of the green stuff wafting off the stage and spent close to an hour recounting the ups and downs of both ‘hood life and the good life.
Say this about Devin; cast him as a weed rapper at your own peril. Sure, every song in the set Saturday was either about getting high or had sidelong references to pot, but it was always part of a narrative picture he was painting with words, whether that image depicted him trying to get around in a broke-down car, trying to make his way home after too many Patron shots or doing his best to make a lesbian appreciate what he has going on downstairs.
It wasn’t refined and was way crude, but for party rapping this was great, funk and soul-heavy stuff that actually told a series of vivid, funny stories without relying on empty braggadocio or the easy and boring indie/backpacker tropes of rapping about rapping. And while Devin could’ve carried the show on his own, the presence of members from Houston crews Coughee Brothaz and 14K on other microphones helped to bring nice changes of pace, with flows that ranged from humorously loose to staccato to Twista-esque speed rapping.
In summation: a step or two below Snoop, miles beyond Afroman and recommended any time he makes one of his many treks to the ATX
Follow Austin Music Source on Facebook and Twitter.
Permalink | | Categories: Fun Fun Fun Fest, Music
