Dr. Dre's announcement of his upcoming Compton album feels like a fever dream. The most worrisome aspect of Detox, Dre's oft-promised, oft-delayed follow up to The Chronic 2001, was the sense that waves of culture were continually passing the album by: after producing a classic rap record that was so far ahead it was literally timestamped two years into the future, how could Dr. Dre keep up with the shifting sounds and stars that'd sprouted up since?
The answer, he made clear, was that he wouldn't try. Detox was scrapped in favor of Compton, tethered to the upcoming N.W.A biopic. It's a deft move, allowing the producer to engage in nostalgia while pushing forward: the teased tracklist includes stalwarts like Eminem, Xhibit, and DJ Premier alongside just-breaking acts like BJ The Chicago Kid, King Mez, and Anderson .Paak, who clocks in at least four credited contributions.
We dug around for more on .Paak, formerly known as Breezy Lovejoy, and found a kid from L.A. with a million styles and a wild haircut. Here's a few choice cuts from the kid to prep you for this week's big stream.
Anderson .Paak DJs and produces as one half of NxWorries alongside Beat Construction alum Knxwledge.
His older stuff lends itself to that strain of break-looped, Dilla-indebted beat work, that's found a new home among L.A. studio rats.
Last year's Venice album found .Paak trying on harder and faster sounds: the marching hi-hats and microwaved vocals that dominate nightclub sets across coasts.
He does R&B, too: cuts like "The City" that straddle many lines, and might sneak in a Riperton interpolation if you listen close enough.
.Paak holds his own as a producer as well: he helmed an entire album for Watsky, a rapper/spoken-word artist.
