Influences
As One, “Brown, Blue, Brown on Blue” (I know I say that one a lot, but it’s true)
Brand X, “Hate Zone”
Jazzanova feat. Capitol A, “The One-Tet”
Lo-Fidelity Allstars, “Battleflag” (to the surprise of probably no one)
Story
This has legendary rapper Declaime on it. How did that happen, exactly?
In making my best-of-year project, I’d run across his label SomeOthaShip Connect and bought two songs off Bandcamp. In October, he sent a message to all the followers, asking for producers to get in contact for collaborations.
I assumed he was looking for help for his next album. Nope – he wanted to show up on other people’s albums. I hadn’t prepared for any rap, never mind legendary rap, on my album. But I did have a weird 9/8 riff I’d shelved that I hadn’t figured out how to develop. He was game for listening, so I frantically assembled an outline of it over 4 hours and sent it.
He was in! Not only that, he wanted to rap over my existing tracks as well. So we’re making an album from the pairing – watch this space around the start of 2025.
I might not have a rap producer’s heart or brain, but I do have a good chunk of my head in ’70s jazz fusion and funk (as “Multicam Behavioral Health/Alone for 10 Minutes” showed). Since that fits Declaime’s relaxed, intuitive delivery, I sent the production in a P-Funk direction to the extent I could. The bit in the middle where everything goes wonky uses Lifeline Console’s Whammy Bar setting on the mix, then low-passes it and narrows the width of the mix except on the 5 and the 9, where I “undo” the low-pass and make the mix wider than normal. So it yields an overall burpy, detuned feel.
Declaime certainly earned the right to talk about his legacy in this song. How many rappers have you heard that would make this mess sound natural? I love making songs that only cohere due to a melody or hook – they have an essentiality that I find contagious – and this totally fits in that category. And I hope that makes sense for you, dear reader, of how this song makes sense on the album.
Oh, and 505 snares are so much better than 909 ones that it’s not even funny. Fight me on it and lose.
Lyrics (by Declaime)
To recite speech in dramatical poetical fashion during oppressed times…
In the heart of hip hop’s vibrant streets,
A legend rose with rhymes so sweet
He goes by the name of Declaime,
A rapper with a unique display
With passion’s soul, he takes the stage
Spreading wisdom, breaking free from the cage
His words like a river, flowing wild
Truth and justice, his lyrics compiled
Oh Declaime, the poet on the mic?
Your verses ignite our souls, shining bright
With every lyric you declaim,
You inspire us to rise and reclaim
From the underground he carved his lane,
Embracing the culture, breaking the chain
His voice a beacon of hope and light
Against injustice, and he’s ready to fight
He stands for love, peace, and unity
In his verses we find our community
A voice for the voiceless, a guiding star
Through the struggles he’ll never stray far
Oh Declaime, the poet of the mic?
Your verses ignite our souls, shining bright
With every lyric you declaim,
You inspire us to rise and reclaim
In a world of chaos, you bring us peace
With your rhythms, all our worries cease
Your words are weapons breaking through the walls
Empowering hearts as the music calls
From the West Coast breeze to the East Coast roar
The artistry touches every shore
With rhymes so raw you keep it real
Your poetic flow and eternal appeal
From beats that grew to soulful tracks,
Your versatility never lacks
A master wordsmith, you paint with sound
A true artist whose fame will resound
So here’s to Declaime, the lyrical sage
His impact on hip hop an eternal page
Man’s legacy forever remain
A beacon of truth, his words sustain
In the annals of rap, he’ll forever reside
As we continue to chant his name with pride
Oh Declaime, the poet of the mic
Your verses ignite our souls, shining bright – shining bright
Some press about it
“Poet of the Mic pulls on the rap dexterity of Declaime to mark its own expectation resistant electro jazz funk inclined shuffle. As esuriently infectious as it is creatively nagging, the track is a wonderful excuse for movement and physical involvement let alone greedy attention.” – Ringmaster Review
“Poet Of The Mic is rapped by Declaime in a hip chamber way, looking for justice [he] throws down, for those in the midst of the struggle to survive, in all this chaos and mania, keeping it real, hazy dope beats, another chapter in the annals of rap.” – Whisperin and Hollerin
Next song: 7000 Sparks
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