Anderson .Paak may very well be hip-hop's most affable character. Good natured and talented, .Paak's Oxnard album found him exploring a more "rap" focused sound, though some still pined for the soulful funk of Malibu. Still, the collaborative effort between Anderson and his trusted producer Dr. Dre yielded no shortage of bangers, and it's clear that .Paak had a grand old time concocting the project with his newfound mentor. Now, with the album a few months older, Anderson took a moment to stop by Jimmy Fallon's Late Night for a performance of "Trippy," as well as a brief interview.
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Stepping behind the skins to hold it down, .Paak truly makes it look easy, simultaneously rapping and drumming. For those who lean on backing tracks as a crutch of sorts, allow .Paak to be your guide. After killing the stage, .Paak slid through for a quick chat with Fallon, where be proceeded to drop a few jewels. Clearly basking in his own upward mobility, Anderson opens up about his creatively rewarding, yet occasionally arduous recording sessions with Dr. Dre.
"Both of us are perfectionists so it's really frustrating sometimes," says Anderson. When Jimmy asks if they ever butt heads, .Paak gives a firm yes. "His head is bigger than mine too. He's bigger, so it's like, alright Dre, sounds good to me! We have the same tastes...I made a lot of music with Dr. Dre, probably two albums worth. It's music I really feel like getting out. Oxnard is a beautiful place I got a lot of grit, I was doing a lot of rapping...I got a lot more soul music to present."