Devin the Dude

Devin the Dude is hip-hop’s version of The Dude, that weed-smoking, White Russian–guzzling rascal played by Jeff Bridges in the Coen brothers’ 1998 The Big Lebowski. Only it’s quite possible the Texas-based MC has stubbed out more roaches than that fictional toker. Hence the title of Devin’s release Smoke Sessions Vol. 1. Or the portrait on his MySpace page, which features the former Face Mob crew member toying with a fully functional vaporizer. Or, even better, just give a listen to last year’s Waiting to Inhale. But there’s more to Devin than what’s in his lungs. A presence in the underground since the early ’90s, his flows are as philosophically astute as they are comical, making him a much-needed antidote to all those oh-so-serious MCs baked on a delusional diet of irony-free rhymes. And that’s a far more dangerous addiction than Devin’s little green habit. Neumo’s, 925 E. Pike St., 709-9467, www.neumos.com. $20. 21 and over. 8 p.m. KEVIN CAPP
Fri., Aug. 8, 8 p.m., 2008