The Phone Call He Didn’t Believe

Devin has told the story a few times: Dr. Dre reached out while building 2001. A Rap-A-Lot contact warned Devin that Dre would call his house—then the phone rang. Devin picked up, still skeptical it was really him. The voice on the other end? “Do what the f— you wanna do,” a nod Devin instantly recognized before joking back, “Yo Dre, kick in the bass!” HipHopDX+1

Inside the Session

When Devin arrived, Dre played through a stack of instrumentals (“like 107” by Devin’s count) on a DAT. Devin kept reacting to one number—12—which became “F*** You,” a standout cut on 2001. He wrote and tracked the hook there, in the room. HipHopDX

Why It Mattered

The moment bridged two power centers: West Coast precision and Houston’s conversational storytelling. Dre already knew Devin’s Odd Squad work—proof the respect was real and pre-existing. The cameo helped elevate Devin’s profile while keeping his laid-back, everyman voice intact. HipHopDX

Bonus Context: Houston Roots

Devin’s lane was shaped earlier with Odd Squad (Devin, Rob Quest, Jugg Mugg) and Houston’s chopped-and-screwed ecosystem, where DJ Screw even DJ’d the demo that helped Odd Squad get signed. That slow-rolled sensibility—space, patience, detail—made Devin a perfect fit for Dre’s surgical studio approach.