Tag: anderson paak

Day 74: King James by Anderson .Paak

Jazzy yet grounded in hip-hop is Anderson Paak’s modus operandi, and he has delivered yet again. Following on from the success of his 2018 third studio album, Oxnard, he announced his fourth album, Ventura, in February, set to release in April this year. King James is the first track we’ve heard in the build up to that.

In a politically unstable climate both here and across the pond, Paak tackles social injustice in King James, just hours after announcing his new album’s features and tracklist. King James is in reference to NBA star Lebron James, who is known as King James, with that even being his Instagram handle. He has done a lot of work in helping equalise opportunities for sports and education in schools. Recently, he opened the I Promise school in his hometwon of Akron, Ohio. It’s aim is to help at-risk kids get the education they need to succeed in life. Having come from a modest background himself, James is a big campaigner for social equality and, with NFL star Colin Kaepernick, is one of the most influential athletes in politics.

The song is classic Paak; saxophonists serande you into the song as if you were entering a speakeasy jazz joint. Paak’s unique voice then sings about the issues that face America right now, be that child deaths or the infamous wall that is planned to be erected by Trump.

It feels as far away from hip-hop that Paak has gotten. His music is rooted in soul, funk and jazz, but this song feels bordered off by them. This is far from a bad thing, but does show a shift perhaps in the artists approach to music. It feels more genuine as a track, less malleable by the whims of pop culture. This has got me very excited for April 12th, and I’m adding Ventura, thanks to King James, to the list of unbelievable releases next month (Game Of Thrones and Avengers: End Game rounding out the top three).

 

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex

Day 47: The Waters by Anderson .Paak ft. BJ The Chicago Kid

This album is an unbelievable masterpiece, and I am so happy that Anderson .Paak is now getting the recognition he deserves after his joint win for Best Rap Performance for his track Bubblin at last weekend’s Grammys ceremony.

The Waters comes from Paak’s 2016 album Malibu and is the third song from what is a brilliantly composed body of work. He is from Oxnard, California and is a funky and soulful singer/rapper that has taken influence from the likes of fellow Californians Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar as well as The Free Nationals and KAYTRANADA. This album, Malibu, was the second album Paak released under that moniker, having previously released an album, O.B.E. Vol. 1, in 2012 as Breezy Lovejoy. It’s a great name in my opinion, alas he moved to his current pseudonym and has released some truly genre-bending hip-hop and funk music.

On The Waters, Paak recruits BJ The Chicago Kid for this wavy track. The Chicago native (no points for guessing that) has frequented songs with Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, and it is a testament to Paak’s rising profile that he is collaborating with such a high profile star on just his sophomore project.

The verses have more of a rap flow to them, with the chorus reverting back to a more soulful sound that feels more true to the typical Paak instrumental. BJ’s feature is subtle and is a typical Paak use of a supplementary artist, seamlessly threading their vocals into the track to create a more emotive, funky sound. They work together rather than having distinct separation across verses.

It is this thinking and this approach to creating music that makes Anderson .Paak a truly unique musician that will continue to grab headlines, awards and even chart spots as the years roll on. This album was just the start for him and already he has gone on to release two more incredible projects in Yes Lawd! and Oxnard. Who knows where Paak can go from here.

 

Spotify Playlist Link: https://spoti.fi/2CKuVex