This article was written by Kenzo Kimura, class of 2019.
I like buffalo wings. No, I love buffalo wings. I just love the succulent spices that surround the tiny bite of the nug. In fact, I love wings so much I love watching videos of celebrities eating wings. “First We Feast” is an online food-culture magazine and YouTube channel dedicated to exploring classic American food and the histories behind it. In their youtube series “Hot Ones,” they invite celebrities to eat spicy wings with them while they’re interviewed. Recently, rappers have been in the headlight of “Hot Ones” interviews because of the rising popularity of hip-hop and rap infused music. The interviewed artist I’m focusing on is Anderson .Paak, the polymath artist working with both hip hop and funk genres.
Born and raised in Oxnard, Cal., Brandon Paak Anderson, better known as his stage name, “Anderson .Paak,” is an American rapper who takes his voice on an antique R&B style ride. Like spicy chicken wings, .Paak takes me on an adventurous ride of nostalgia rap. His latest album, Oxnard, released November 2018, is a continuation of 90s California hip-hop with tints of Jamaican Patois. Rooted by the beats of Dr. Dre, Paak’s work is more than phenomenal when it comes to flow. For example, in Oxnard’s “Manu Masa,” Paak creates liquid gold bars on what it means to be wealthy. Hence the name “Manu Musa,” which originates from a fourteenth century African emperor thought to be the single wealthiest individual in history. However, there are some downsides to Oxnard: the pauses between song transitions performed in the album are both awkward and unfunny. It seems forced and introducing short moments of confusion.
Although the album isn’t as memorable as Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly or Drake’s Take Care, the representation of classical funk and California syncopathic beats are what make .Paak familiarly unique. Anderson .Paak’s smooth voice shows everywhere he comes on, regardless if it’s the “Hot Ones” buffalo wings video or any of his top 3 Spotify songs.
