In the history of rap music, a lot of cats have tried their hand at singing on tracks to different degrees of success (modern examples include Kanye, Chance, Kid Cudi, Mac Miller, etc.). Yet there has always seemed to be a vocal void in hip-hop where rappers fail to truly excel in terms of range and intensity. For the most part, female vocalists pick up the slack on choruses, where the main attraction lacks power and can’t meet expectations.
Enter Anderson .Paak, rapper, singer, multi-instumentalist, Dr.Dre protege, and bonafide hit maker. Paak’s hypnotic, sonorous vocals produce clever raps coupled with dynamic choruses, a true rarity in modern hip-hop. Two studio albums, countless features, and more music in the works have given him the foundation to reach a mainstream audience in the coming year. Songs like “Put Me Thru” and “Am I Wrong” showcase bouncing beats that appeal just as much to funk and soul as modern pop.
Hailing from Oxnard, California, Paak picked up the drums at young age at church – a conspicuous element present in his music today. After producing his fist LP, Venice, in 2014, he had the chance to work with rap mogul Dr. Dre on the soundtrack for Compton, pushing him into the spotlight. One LP later, .Paak has over a million views on tracks such as “Dapper” and “Suede” as more and more listeners discover his raw grooves. Even Mac Miller has started working with him – their collaborative single “Dang!” proves to be as jamming as ever.
To keep up with Anderson .Paak, follow him on Soundcloud and Facebook, and watch out for his upcoming collaborative EP with Knxwledge this fall.
Saint Audio 