There has been a lot said about Devin The Dude over the years. Underrated rapper, pothead, comic. “Serious” has never been one of those words. What you also may not hear are comments like family man or loyal friend. It appears that there is a lot more to Devin The Dude than what we know. After recently leaving Rap-A-Lot, his label home of 14 years, Devin has a new mixtape dropping, Smoke Sessions, Vol. 1, in April and the Houston rapper claims that we are going to still have the same quality blunts and b***hes lyrics but there will be a few surprises. Could there be a new unexposed side of him that he will deliver? We should all become reacquainted with Devin The Dude.AllHipHop.com: Your style of rap is comical but realistic. What made you decide to go in that direction?Devin The Dude: I started with hardcore back in ‘91, ‘92. That was our style. Then it was the trip tip with our humorous rap. It was more of a partying type groove. AllHipHop.com: So is that your natural personality?Devin The Dude: Pretty much. More closer to my personality than the regular type rap dude. AllHipHop.com: What made you decide to not resign to Rap-A-Lot Records?Devin The Dude: It just came to the point of time. It has been quite a while now and its time to move around. After the contractual thing is through then its time to create new avenues and opportunities for different things. AllHipHop.com: So, there was no fall out between you and the label? You know that is what some people might assume.Devin The Dude: Nah, it’s all gravy. I appreciate everything they have done over the years. It has been a cool ride. AllHipHop.com: You worked with legends, you have been in the game for years now but you have yet to completely crossover into the mainstream. Why do you think that is?Devin The Dude: I guess I’m probably waiting for the mainstream to crossover to me. It wasn’t never a matter of me trying to break out to somebody. I always liked what I do. It was never about trying to reach out to mainstream or having the units. It was about loving what you doing.AllHipHop.com: Do you think that you are too ahead of your time?Devin The Dude: I don’t know. (laughs). I’m just glad to still be here. It’s a blessing to still be relevant.AllHipHop.com: Where do you get your material from? Is it literally your everyday experiences?Devin The Dude: Different weed men.AllHipHop.com: (laughs)Devin The Dude: (laughs) Nah, my friends around me, family members, and experiences. I use to listen to a lot of Richard Pryor. I love to laugh so that rubbed off into the studio when I do my music.AllHipHop.com: How different is Devin versus Devin The Dude? Devin The Dude: I’m pretty much the same. You got your Devin side and then you got your Dude side. It’s one in the same. I guess I’m more of a family type dude in real life. I like being with brothers and sisters.AllHipHop.com: Give me an example of something the Dude would do versus Devin.Devin The Dude: Ha-Ha! The Dude curses a lot more than Devin. He smokes and drinks and all that stuff. Devin is a momma’s boy. I talk to my momma everyday. The Dude likes getting into things. Ha-Ha!AllHipHop.com: What do you consider when you are creating your album at this point in your career?Devin The Dude: To have the music to set the mode of what you want to talk about. Whether it’s the wishful thinking or friends. The grade of weed is important. Other than that it stays the same. The more carefree you are the better it will pan out. Sometimes you get serious in the studio. AllHipHop.com: What do you think about the state of Hip-Hop right now versus when you were first trying to get on?Devin The Dude: Getting on still is difficult. It’s more of an independent thing now versus back in the day you had to go to the major label. Now it is more hands on. You can create a deal yourself and do your own thing independently. You can get your distribution team and somebody to promote you. AllHipHop.com: What can we expect from the newest project Smoke Sessions Vol. 1? Devin The Dude: Laid back. It’s gonna be a couple of serious moments.[Devin The Dude “Makin’ It Hard” from Smoke Sessions Vol. 1]AllHipHop.com: Tell me about the serious moments. I have yet to hear you be very serious.Devin The Dude: (laughs) A more straight forward sound. It’s going to have a what’s happening type subject instead of a what’s on your mind type thing. AllHipHop.com: Are you talking about current events in the world?Devin The Dude: Not really the world. More so family wise, friendship wise, nation wise. AllHipHop.com: Can you tell me one of the craziest experiences you have had since you have been involved with Hip-Hop?Devin The Dude: I have had a lot of crazy s**t that happened. We were in the Midwest somewhere. Right before a show. We were in the room having a coffee break with the Coughee Brothaz, smoking a little weed. Some local kids were in there telling us what’s going on in the city and where to go. One of the dudes looks like one of the homeboys in Houston and we was all tripping about [that]. About thirty minutes passed and it was time for us to head to the venue. Next thing you know we were getting on the elevator and we had to pack on and the first group of guys went down. When they hit the bottom we hear gunshots. Pow! Pow! So, we get in the other elevator and we went down, by the time we got down and the door open and the guy who reminded us of our boy from Houston had got shot. He died right there. AllHipHop.com: Was his body laying down there?Devin The Dude: Yeah he was laying there and it was hectic.AllHipHop.com: Did you guys run?Devin The Dude: We was just walking fast looking confused. (laughs) I mean we weren’t asking any questions. His life flashed right in front of me. It’s truly a blessing to be alive. AllHipHop.com: Is there anybody in R&B you would like to work with?Devin The Dude: I would like to work with anybody who wants to work with me. (laughs) I would like to work with Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvent, Babyface.AllHipHop.com: You are on the throwback R&B. You don’t want to get with any of the new cats?Devin The Dude: Yeah, like me and Alexander O’Neal would tear it up. (laughs)AllHipHop.com: Anybody newer in Hip-Hop that you would like to work with?Devin The Dude: Any cats that want to get with me. Any time I get asked to do a feature it’s kind of overwhelming. It’s cool. AllHipHop.com: You have any advice for new artists?Devin The Dude: Well, love what you doing, keep God first. Keep friends around you that got your back. Take good advice. Take the advice that doesn’t sound too good and draw off that. Don’t have too thin of skin. Hip hop involves a lot of bumps and curves on the road. [Dr. Dre f/ Snoop Dogg & Devin The Dude “F**k You”][Scarface f/ Too $hort, Tela & Devin The Dude “F**k Faces”]