Be warned. Devin the Dude—a rapper himself, but perhaps best known to most as Snoop Dogg’s “hype man”—has no-showed at Chop Suey before, cancelling at the last minute with a whole club full of people (who’ve paid to see him) already through the door. That shouldn’t happen this time around, for the man won’t just be performing tonight, he’s pulling double duty—rolling in to town to judge the 2nd annual freestyle championships. We’ve got some of Seattle’s finest lyricists ready to take the stage (and the $4500 in cash and prizes at stake): Cool Nutz, Certified, Neema of Unexpected Arrival, Mr. DOG, Emmanuel, Sonny Bonoho and more will step to the mic, representing the 206 with entirely unscripted rhymes intended to leave their rivals without words, whimpering off stage, tails between their legs. Here’s hoping that this time around, the Dude abides. AJA PECKNOLD

Listen to a sample of Devin the Dude’s “Doobie Ashtray.”

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Sat., Jan. 5, 8 p.m., 2008