Brandon Paak Anderson, better known as Anderson Paak, is a singer, songwriter, drummer and rapper. He was born and raised in Oxnard, California and he is half African-American and half-Korean. His music career began in high school when he attended Foothill Technology High School and started practicing drumming. He worked as a drummer in a church and also as a music teacher. He debuted his first album in 2012 which is when his career truly began.
His latest album is called “Malibu” and it was released in January 2017; even if it isn’t recent, it’s worth listening to. In this album, Paak had 16 songs, which The Guardian described as, “a warm and hazy blend of styles – funk, jazz, New York house, reggae, trap, blaxploitation-era soul, a hint of psych-rock – anchored in R&B and hip-hop.” Out of the 16 songs, he has three well-known songs that are called “The Bird,” “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance” and “Am I Wrong” featuring ScHoolboy Q. He also has seven songs featuring other lesser-known artists.
In “The Bird” he talks about his childhood struggles including the absence of his father and his mom’s gambling problems. He also talks about how after what he has gone through he will overcome it and still reach the top through righteousness. In “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance” he tells a story about how he met a woman and fell in love with her; he tells a story from beginning, middle to end. The conclusion is that they don’t end up together because of different challenges. The song “Am I Wrong” features ScHoolboy Q; this song is mostly about life, enjoying it and taking advantage of it. In a description of the song, Paak stated, “This is about carpe diem—seizing the day, being appreciative of the time you have, and knowing that your time is very valuable. Please don’t waste my time. Time is one of the most valuable things I have. I have to take advantage of it. I have to know my worth and the value of my time. I can’t just give it to anybody.”
Anderson Paak has had the opportunity to meet and work with many different artists like Mac Miller and Domo Genesis, and he is still rising to the top. Paak song “Come Down” is also part of Netflix’s original series soundtrack “Iron Fist.” Paak seems to be doing well, and will hopefully do great this 2018. Listen to Anderson Paak and be enjoy how beautiful and amazing his music can be.
