It was a summer’s eve in 2016 when I stumbled upon Anderson Paak, performing to a Paak-ed house at Coachella’s Mojave stage. Truth-be-told, I was chasing Kendrick Lamar. My entire weekend setlist revolved around where Kendrick might pop up, and once again, I was right. Sweat drenched and sardined between scantily clad festival goers, I popped a squat and readied myself to recline until Kendrick made his appearance. But when Paak took the stage, seducing us with sweet tunes from his album “Malibu,” I was immediately TRANSFIXED.
Anderson Paak is, hands down, the best performer I’ve ever seen live. FIGHT ME. I DARE YOU! He’s the ultimate musical multi-hyphenate: drummer, rapper, singer, producer, pianist… Paak’s soothing, jazz-imbued rap performances radiate pure, contagious joy. If you’re still not convinced, allow me to name drop a few of Paak’s friends, who’ve either collaborated on a song or shown up to accompany a live performance: Stevie Wonder, Dr. Dre, Smokey Robinson, Eminem, to name a few… It’s no surprise, though, that my favorite Paak collaboration just happens to be about, well, me! Just listen to those lyrics: Jet black hair baby jet black hair. 😉
If you think I’m fangirling too hard, I’m not the only one. Sorry to throw you under the bus Billie…
If it’s any consolation, I’LL THROW MYSELF UNDER THE BUS TOO:
Paak has a song for every mood. He’s soulful. He’s jazzy. He’s funky. He’s dynamic. His music videos are as finely tuned as his albums, and one can only hope to be as cool as Paak’s son someday (48s):
Paak’s authenticity shines through in his perspective on growing up in Oxnard. The raw lyrics and edgier sounds shift from the calmer vibes of Malibu.
Anderson Paak has longevity. He seamlessly switches between rap, jazz, and hip hop, all while joining in on the instrumentals. Paak’s signature “Yes Lawd!” is here to stay. In fact, I just stumbled upon a Justin Timberlake x Anderson Paak Instagram post. Do we smell a collaboration?