Devin the Dude - Waiting to Inhale

Pros

• Smooth, funk-laced grooves
• Witty rhymes
• Devin's versatility

Cons

• Heard it all before

Description

• Waiting to Inhale is Devin the Dude's 4th album.
• Most of the album's production was handled by the Coughee Brothaz.
• Waiting to Inhale features collaborations with Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg, and Bun B.

Guide Review - Devin the Dude - Waiting to Inhale

While it's tempting to dismiss Devin the Dude's records as paeans to weed and women, the swift-sailing soul underneath his smokescreen and smooth talk will keep naysayers in check.

The Dude keeps things interesting with his lung-cracking humor on "Broccoli & Cheese" (definitely not that type, you glutton) and "She Used ta Be," where he laments an "elegant-to-elephant" ex-flame. He channels an embittered lover on "Just Because," rhyming, "If only for one night I can take your hand, and cut that h** off for stealing the heart of a man." It's the type of detached and disturbing humor that makes you wonder if hip-hop's Prince of Jest has been spending some time with Eminem.

It's not all fun and games on Waiting to Inhale though. Devin pauses occasionally to tackle America's ailing economy ("All My Tea $") and the travails of a demanding music industry ("What a Job"), before connecting with Bun B and Lil Wayne on the good-girl-gone-awry narrative "Lil' Girl Gone."

Evoking head-scratching dialogs and laughs simultaneously, Devin succeeds in painting portraits that everyone can appreciate, whether you're Buddha Head or Sam Sober.