Last month, Devin The Dude and his Coughee Brothaz clique self-released Acoustic Levitation. The Texas-based MC/producer is up to his famous three W’s: wine, weed, and women on an independent release that involves some lush harmonies from the MC who is a highly capable singer.

Devin The Dude’s career spans back more than 23 years to when he was one of the many hungry voices on J. Prince’s Rap-A-Lot Records with group, Da Odd Squad. Thanks to some heavy-handed support from Scarface (who placed The Dude in his Facemob group), Devin started to stand out within the crowded roster. By the time he ended up on ‘Face’s “Fuck Faces” single, he was poised to be a flagship act at the indie mainstay. Working with Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Xzibit and others, Devin would gain a reputation for raunchy content with rugged talent. He poked fun at himself, trying to find other things to poke (“See What I Can Pull” and “Fuck’ha”). The MC made fun of women whose clothes were revealing or had funny looks while voicing them making fun of his empty pockets, ugly car, and failing music career. By the time 2002’s Just Tryin’ Ta Live dropped, Devin was in an elite class with Scarface at the top of the roster, making music quite different than the Geto Boy.

Andre 3000, Snoop Dogg & Devin the Dude Got the Job Done & Then Some (Audio)

As it turns out, that unique style is nothing new to Devin Copeland. Influenced by Blowfly, 2 Live Crew, and N.W.A., Devin was rapping about women named Michelle with poor hygiene (and trying to pursue them before learning so) in his earliest days as an MC. For Mass Appeal, the veteran travels back to the ’80s and shows, acapella, how his rhymes then have gotten better, but they aren’t dissimilar to what fans love about him today.

Acoustic Levitation features members of Da Odd Squad (Jugg Mugg and Rob Quest).