Anderson .Paak has had a huge year. He was one of the unique voices of Dr. Dre's Compton album, sure, but he's also released a number of his own tracks along with being featured alongside some of the biggest names in the business. His ability to transcend traditional rapping/singing techniques to create a unique voice of his own has made him a go-to as of late.
.Paak used to make music under the pseudonym Breezy Lovejoy. 2014 saw the release of Venice, his first album released under the name Anderson .Paak last year. 2015 has been the rising star's biggest year yet, by far. His project with knxwledge, called NxWorries, opened for Earl Sweatshirt at several shows and released a thumpin' track by the name of "Suede." In addition to playing a vital role on the west coast albums like Compton and The Documentary 2, he's collaborated this year with the likes of Madlib, Goldlink, ScHoolboy Q, and DJ Premier. It's about time you get acquainted with Mr. Paak, so without further ado, here are his ten essentials.
Am I Wrong featuring ScHoolboy Q [Prod. Pomo]
If you like dance-floor vibes with a fly Black Hippy verse, "Am I Wrong" will suit your needs. Pomo provides the disco vibes, Paak crushes the songwriting, and ScHoolboy Q comes through with a powerful feature. "Am I Wrong" is .Paak's newest track but definitely has that instant classic feel.
The Season / Carry Me [Prod. 9th Wonder & Callum Connor]
It seems like 9th Wonder can do no wrong, so if he's collaborating with Anderson .Paak, you know it's about to be flames. "The Season / Carry Me" is a two-part track that doesn't belong to any one genre. The track contains elements of rap, blues, R&B, and soul in there. Anderson is effortless.
Blended Babies featuring Anderson .Paak & King Chip - So Slow
Blended Babies invited Anderson .Paak and King Chip to bless this beat, and it's a good thing they did so. It's slow and funky, similar to the vibe produced usually in Houston, TX or Atlanta. The west coast cats did it this time, though!
DJ Premier, BMB Spacekid, Anderson .Paak - Til It's Done
If you link up with DJ Premier, you're special. Anderson .Paak and BMB Spacekid linked with Premo with some assistance from Boiler Room, and the results were mighty tasty.
NxWorries - Suede
knxwledge had a pretty big year himself after gaining massive amounts of notoriety due to his contribution on To Pimp A Butterfly. Additionally, his collaboration with Anderson .Paak has wheels, earning an opening slot on Earl Sweatshirt's tour and hundreds of thousands of views on this fly video for "Suede."
Milk N' Honey
If you think he's only good for laying the hook, you're wrong. Anderson .Paak has stories to tell, and a flow on par with most anyone else in the game. "Milk N' Honey" might be the most forwardly rap track in this bunch, or at least one of them anyways. The beat is fire and the concept is dope in more ways than one.
TOKiMONSTA featuring Anderson .Paak - Realla
Producer TOKiMONSTA invited .Paak to hop on this smooth R&B track, and while it's pretty different from the stuff he's been churning out lately, it's still on point. "Realla" is more of a straightforward R&B track, with an emphasis on sultry production courtesy of the super-talented TOKiMONSTA.
Dr. Dre featuring Anderson .Paak & Marsha Ambrosius - All In A Day's Work
Compton would have been a drastically different album if it weren't for Anderson .Paak. Here he is backing Dre up for adlibs on his verse along with laying a great hook.
Dr. Dre featuring Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, and Justus - Deep Water
Kendrick steals the show on this one, but it's still a great performance from .Paak. His drowning act at the end proves to be one of the most intense moments on a very intense album.
Dr. Dre featuring Anderson .Paak - Animals
We couldn't track this one down on YouTube, but it's definitely one of .Paak's brightest moments. Produced by BMB Spacekid and Premo, Dre and .Paak both ride the beat with real bars that engage the listener in the topic of racial discrimination. Anderson's words ring all-too-true in the year of 2015...
"And please don't come around these parts
And tell me that we all a bunch of animals
The only time they wanna turn the cameras on
Is when we're fuckin' shit up, come on"