Declaime
In The Beginning Vol. 1

A genuine must-listen for fans of underground hip-hop, especially the unique sonic worlds of Madlib. On this record are 13 previously unreleased tracks that he recorded with childhood friend Declaime (now better known under his given name, Dudley Perkins) between 1993 and '96. Madlib's beats are undoubtedly a blueprint for his later work, delivering a deliciously Californian blend of head-nodding hip-hop beats and loops and samples lifted from psychedelic, funk, soul and jazz records. Declaime's rhymes - laidback, thoughtful and on point - are superb, too, making 'In The Beginning Vol1' an essential selection of long-lost bedroom hip-hop jams. Just wait for Vol 2... Huge tip!