Malibu comes by way of Venice and Compton, and it is the latter that really broke out the Oxnard triple-threat (he sings, raps, and produces) formerly known as Breezy Lovejoy. Dr. Dre’s third and final album, his first since 2001, featured Anderson .Paak on 6 tracks (“Animals” is so fire), and his contribution stood out— a huge feat considering the all-star lineup that included Eminem, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, and more. There is not a dull moment in Malibu, a deeply personal album, as .Paak narrates his past and present over shifting cadences of funk, r&b, boom-bap, and trap, and his soulful, church-bred crooning and air-tight raps paint a vibrant next-wave west coast soundscape brimming with pure talent, substance, and finesse. Anderson .Paak has arrived, and we can only imagine what he is cooking up with the good doctor (ya, he’s signed to Dr. Dre). Released by Steel Wool / OBE on black double vinyl.

• black double vinyl pressing
• includes printed foldout insert
• music label: OBE 2016

reviewed by the_lighted 05/2016