Declaime

California-based rapper and singer/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Dudley Perkins</a> switches between abstract hip-hop and funky, spiritual neo-soul, working under his given name as well as Declaime, additionally collaborating with his wife <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Georgia Anne Muldrow</a> as the duo <a href="spotify:artist:6gZYQmQoSzqb8harjG1D2O">G&D</a>. Initially receiving exposure through appearances on releases by <a href="spotify:artist:2FiRV4AeJUGaW98BhDIAKI">tha Alkaholiks</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2D0NqDyt2R9RVar9MNs8kP">Lootpack</a> during the 1990s, he worked extensively with producer <a href="spotify:artist:5LhTec3c7dcqBvpLRWbMcf">Madlib</a> on solo material, and made his debut with 1999's Illmindmuzik. Subsequent Declaime albums were made with artists like <a href="spotify:artist:5PA6iCCOkq14PpMWWlhJ5T">Oh No</a> (2004's Conversations with Dudley) and <a href="spotify:artist:3M5miYDu8lWrm0A3Q0OTag">J. Rawls</a> (2005's It's the Dank & Jammy Show). <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Perkins</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Muldrow</a> co-launched <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22SomeOthaShip+Connect%22">SomeOthaShip Connect</a>, and Declaime releases like 2010's Fonk and 2017's Young Spirit ventured closer to the psychedelic funk of his work under his own name. Declaime revisited his earliest efforts with archival releases such as 2021's In the Beginning, Vol. 1, and released the studio effort The Last Stand the same year.

Originally affiliated with the Likwit Crew, <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Perkins</a> debuted on <a href="spotify:artist:2FiRV4AeJUGaW98BhDIAKI">tha Alkaholiks</a>' second album, Coast II Coast, and also appeared on <a href="spotify:artist:2D0NqDyt2R9RVar9MNs8kP">Lootpack</a>'s Soundpieces before releasing his own solo work. His first solo release as Declaime, Illmindmuzik, was an EP produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5LhTec3c7dcqBvpLRWbMcf">Madlib</a> and released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Goodvibe%22">Goodvibe</a> in 1999. His debut full-length, Andsoitissaid, then followed in 2001, again produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5LhTec3c7dcqBvpLRWbMcf">Madlib</a> and featuring West Coast hip-hop MCs such as <a href="spotify:artist:3W9SDpMLYOSVYn5zIqr90j">Rasco</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2D0NqDyt2R9RVar9MNs8kP">Lootpack</a>. During the same year, he started releasing more soul-influenced music under his birth name, in addition to hip-hop as Declaime. In 2004, Conversations with Dudley, an album that bridged his two musical identities, came out on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Up+Above+Records%22">Up Above Records</a>. It's the Dank & Jammy Show, a collaboration with <a href="spotify:artist:3M5miYDu8lWrm0A3Q0OTag">J. Rawls</a>, was released in 2005, initially only available in Japan.

Much of <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Perkins</a>' music over the next few years, including work with his partner, <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Georgia Anne Muldrow</a>, appeared under his given name, but Declaime's single "Children of the Sun" (featuring vocals by <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Muldrow</a>) was released by the French Apollo Jazz Production label in 2007. Declaime's full-length Astormsacomin was issued by the Japanese label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Octave%22">Octave</a> in 2008. Declaime collaborated with <a href="spotify:artist:29XOeO6KIWxGthejQqn793">Flying Lotus</a> on the 2009 EP Whole Wide World; the <a href="spotify:artist:5LhTec3c7dcqBvpLRWbMcf">Madlib</a>-produced single "State of Emergency" and full-length Muzikillmind also appeared that year. <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Muldrow</a> and Declaime's SomeOthaShip was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mello+Music+Group%22">Mello Music Group</a> in 2010. The duo also started a label called <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22SomeOthaShip+Connect%22">SomeOthaShip Connect</a>, which issued Declaime's G-funk-inspired Fonk, produced by Quazadelic. Declaime's CD/DVD Self Study followed in 2011.

Following a <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Dudley Perkins</a> album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mello+Music+Group%22">Mello Music Group</a> (Dr. Stokley) and a <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Muldrow</a>/<a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Perkins</a> album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22SomeOthaShip%22">SomeOthaShip</a> (Lighthouse), both of which arrived in 2013, <a href="spotify:artist:08xLtQbGdIZfVfk6QTgYIW">Perkins</a> resumed the Declaime handle for his 2015 full-length, Southside Story. This was followed by 2017's Young Spirit, which featured guest appearances from <a href="spotify:artist:1KeJhR0ENFviw187pD4LPT">Blu</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:11K0HIZKfdB6ez0VhIgxPm">Saul Williams</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0id62QV2SZZfvBn9xpmuCl">Aloe Blacc</a>, and, of course, <a href="spotify:artist:2RdnkH5txHb9c4vGwq0I31">Muldrow</a>. Welcome to My Light, an EP with Jazzylla, was issued by French label NoForm: Production in 2018. In 2020, Declaime digitally released Illminded, a 24-track album of extremely lo-fi early recordings with <a href="spotify:artist:5LhTec3c7dcqBvpLRWbMcf">Madlib</a>, sourced from a cassette that had been lost since 1995. A cleaner-sounding, more concise collection of material from the same era, In the Beginning, Vol. 1, appeared in 2021. The same year also brought the double-LP The Last Stand, rumored to be the final Declaime album. Producers and guest artists included <a href="spotify:artist:4OpQJMrOpOEYgYoU0Ihku3">Casual</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:60k4atxgEIMFz4DWHp0le1">Braxton Cook</a>, and LaToiya Williams. ~ Jason Birchmeier & Paul Simpson, Rovi