After a more than 15 year partnership with the label, Houston MC Devin The Dude announced on Monday (February 4) that he will not be renewing his contract with Rap-A-Lot Records. In a statement announcing the decision, Devin insists that the split is not the result of any rift between him and the storied record label. “Rap-A-Lot has been my family for a long time and there's no bad blood at all,” he explained. “But change is a part of life and I feel like this is the time to make a change and focus more on the business side of my career, I've had a nice run so I'd like to develop artists and give some of these other cats out here a platform to shine.” Devin signed with Rap-A-Lot in 1992 as a member of the group Odd Squad and has remained there throughout his entire professional career. He went on to release four acclaimed solo albums, The Dude, Just Tryin’ Ta Live, To Tha Xtreme and 2007’s Waitin’ To Inhale. Devin also appeared on The Other Side of the Law, the only project released by Scarface’s Face Mob collective. He is said to be considering offers from several different labels.

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