The Declaration is the fifth studio album by American singer Ashanti. It was released by The Inc. Records and Universal Motown Records on June 3, 2008. Her first project in four years, it followed the end of The Inc.'s distribution deal with Def Jam Recordings after a three-year investigation in which label head Irv Gotti was acquitted, a process that nonetheless reshaped their professional relationship. The album marked a strategic departure for Ashanti, featuring collaborations with a new set of producers, including Babyface, Rodney Jerkins, Jermaine Dupri, L.T. Hutton, and Pharrell Williams.