In the Beginning, Vol. 1

Dudley Perkins had been rapping for years before he made his solo debut as Declaime, with 1999s Madlib-produced Illmindmuzik. He made his name and presence known through appearances on tha Alkaholiks Coast II Coast and Lootpacks Soundpieces: Da Antidote!, but he was productive throughout the decade, constantly recording abstract, freestyle-heavy material that remained little-heard outside of the burgeoning Oxnard, California hip-hop scene. In 2020, Declaime digitally issued Illminded, a collection of 24 untitled, extremely lo-fi tracks sourced from a long-forgotten cassette that had been rotting away in a friends dungeon for decades, all produced by Madlib circa 1993-1994. In the Beginning, Vol. 1, released through Perkins and Georgia Anne Muldrows SomeOthaShip Connect in 2021, mines a similar time period (expanding to 1996), and also consists of previously unheard Madlib productions, but its relatively more polished and far more concise, while still maintaining the off-the-cuff spontaneity of a freestyle session taped off of a late-night college radio broadcast. The album actually starts right in the middle of a Madlib guest verse, as if one side of the tape ran out and it was hastily flipped over. He and Declaime casually deliver lyrics about dealing with problems and stress over a slow, swinging beat, while subtle vocal effects and scratches add an aura of trippiness. One on One Remix incorporates samples of cinematic strings and a sound resembling a ducks quack, as Declaime boasts about his lyrical prowess. Madman is easily one of the strangest and most creative tracks here, with Declaime adopting a demonic voice and a dark flow bearing traces of ODB, Busta Rhymes, and early Three 6 Mafia, with Madlib sneaking in what sounds like a Sun Ra sample during the songs outro. Black has the albums most direct lyrics, addressing systemic racism and the struggle for equal rights, asking How long will the devil system last? in the songs chorus. A few of the tracks have nearly identical beats, and others clearly sound like rough sketches, making the release sound much closer to an unearthed demo than a lost classic. Even still, its plainly obvious that Declaime and Madlib were visionaries right from the start, and these early recordings are the seeds from which their innovative careers sprung forth. ~ Paul Simpson