Along with What A Job and Doobie Ashtray, Lavcille ‘79’ is one of Devin The Dude’s most successful singles. He produced the song himself and released it on his 2002 sophomore album, Just Tryin’ To Live. It’s a classic laid-back smoke-and-ride song.
Context: Your Favorite Rapper’s Favorite Rapper
I first got into Devin after reading a brief but glowing introduction to his work by the New Yorker’s then new pop music columnist, the quite-astute Sasha Frere-Jones. Drawn in by an even ravier interview in Prefixmag that called him, “the greatest hip-hop artist you’ve never heard,” and went on to say he’s, “one of the most respected and sought-after artists in the industry. As one of the few emcees who has worked with the best in the underground, mainstream, East, West and South, “indeed, his 2007 hit What A Job included both Andree 3000 and Snoop Dogg, and Just Tryin To Live had a feature from Nas and production from DJ Premier and Dr. Dre, “Devin is your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper”. But who is Devin The Dude?
Devin The Dude
He’s a rapper from Houston. Relegated to the underground. He raps about things he likes: weed, women, music, chillin’. This random blog said, “His introspective and sometimes self-deprecating lyrics coupled with his sheepish grin make him a likable rap everyman.” It went on to say that, “Scarface has previously said that an artist should keep remaking the same album and carve a lane for themselves rather than trying to do something new. Despite that not always being true, Devin definitely followed this formula.” Lacville ‘79 illustrates the everyman vibe.
The song
Lacville ‘79 is named after Devin’s shitty car: a 1979 Cadillac Coup De Ville. It starts off as if it’s about smoking blunts and driving around, but then it swivels around the point when he says, “I go about 47 in a 55”. The Dude goes on to mention his problems with mechanics, how he, “hear[s] bumps and crunks, pings and ticks and dings,” and how people “talk,” “diss,” “heckle,” and “laugh.”
The chorus has a positive upbeat sound. He puts his problems in perspective: his car is too old to get stolen, and he’s, “smokin’ weed and feelin’ fine.” Even in his shitty old car. It really is a song for the people.