Anderson .Paak hasย been on quite the run; going back to last year where he burst onto the scene as a frequent collaborator on Dr. Dreโsย Compton. Then following that up with his highly touted debutย Malibu. While I felt his debut had itโs highs and lows, .Paakโs immense talent and versatility were evident. Kind of lost in the midst of this run, was a dope, soulful collaboration between rapper/producer Knxwledge calledย Link Up and Suede (EP). He promised a full-length follow up and finally Yes Lawd! hasย arrived to bless our playlists.
โWord to my OG, the game that he taught me will always suffice
Itโs the reason that Iโm still alive
Big grandaddy, grandpa, my father and now itโs my season to shineโ
Andersonโs debut, Malibu,ย was a very solid project that I think suffered at times because he was employing so many different styles, genres, and sounds; resulting in a mixed bag of records.ย Yes Lawd! does not have that problem. The majority of the production duties fall to Knxwledge and the result is a cohesive neo-soul, almost J Dilla-esque, sound that runs throughout the whole album. The way he meshes old soul and funk samples with sharp percussions and smooth chords is masterful. Most of the tracks are short, running around 2 minutes in length, but that works in their favor, as they feel like youโre sitting in a jam session between two musicians that genuinely enjoy playing together. The production is phenomenal and this type of groove is something thatโs been missing from music today.
โNow who the fuck called me a player?
I ainโt one these young niggas out here sweating for a pay stub
Iโm a coach, Iโmma teach these bitches how to layup
Now most of yaโll canโt do shit
But all my chicks cook gritsโ
Yes Lawd! is a joint album, but aside from the production you wonโt find any evidence of Knxwledge on the project. Anderson handles all the vocals and lyrics, and thatโs not a bad thing because his raspy, smooth voice plays perfectly with the soulful production. While there are lyrics and themes, theyโre more there to facilitate the spectacular sonic landscapes being laid down. The real star of the show is the groove, and itโs a deep one.
Have you heardย Yes Lawd!? Whatโd you think about it? Do you think having Knxwledge only on the production was the right call? Did you enjoy the grooves? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave a rating for the album.
