Anderson .Paak
Malibu
(Steel Wool/OBE)

California native Anderson .Paak reminds me of a singing Kendrick Lamar; he speaks truth from the life lived around him, all the while remaining humble throughout. With the release of his second, full-length record, Malibu, the rapper/singer will soon be on everyone else’s radar, too. Mixing elements of soul, hip hop, jazz and R&B, Malibu is a grooving nod to music from back in the day, most noticeably the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, especially on tracks like “Am I Wrong,” “The Season | Carry Me,” and “The Waters.” The 29-year-old producer stands out on many tracks, from “Your Prime” and “Celebrate,” which is sort of an ode to where he’s at in life, to “Silicon Valley,” where he talks about women’s breasts, and “Room in Here,” which features rapper The Game. Like he did on six tracks from Dr. Dre’s Compton soundtrack last summer, Malibu is an opportunity to further showcase his immense skill set. Featuring cameos from fellow artists Schoolboy Q, Rapsody, and Talib Kweli, as well as singer BJ the Chicago Kid, this record is a perfect start to a new year in music.