Anderson .Paak - Oxnard Album Review
Anderson .Paak has made it extremely well known that he was dropping his third studio album, Oxnard, on November 16. This album is very special to .Paak because he had the privilege of working with one of his idols, Dr. Dre, who was also the executive producer for his album.
With features including Kendrick Lamar, Q-Tip, J. Cole, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre himself, .Paak assembled the perfect crew to create a mixture of hip hop, R&B and funk flow. Oxnard unleashes one’s crazy energy with a twist of tough talk with the different flows played throughout the 14-track album. In Dr. Dre’s opinion, “It’s hard. It’s gangsta.”
After signing with Dr. Dre back in 2015, .Paak has had the time of his life traveling and performing all over the world. After touring for two years from his previous album, Malibu, .Paak thought it was time to come home and start a new album. What better way to do it from the place where you started your life?
Oxnard is a mash up of everything .Paak learned and experienced through his time as a musician. It was a way of him coming home and taking all the things he learned and incorporating it into an album with the same mindset but different lifestyle.
As he named his last two albums from counties in Los Angeles, this album is named after Anderson .Paak’s hometown, Oxnard. Since the passing of Mac Miller back in early September, .Paak paid tribute to the talented musician in “Cheers,” featuring the Tribe Called Quest member Q-Tip. The song starts off with a synchronized beat that started off with the guitar and drums, and then comes the saxophone that adds a great touch to create a funky and chill out vibe. .Paak and Q-Tip rap of sorrow and pain when they talk about their old friends who have passed.
Through the song thel listener can see the two artists sending a message of just how fame can bring company that is not always great. Who other than J. Cole can reciprocate the meaning of love? On the song “Trippy,” which is .Paak and J. Cole’s first collaboration, talks about love and intimacy. The intro comes from the famous television talk show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, when the host Johnny talks about the desire for love with his special guest Rodney Dangerfield.
.Paak raps about his partner while J. Cole reminisces about an old flame who came back around later on in life. The soothing vocals and guitar take you back to the classic R&B sound that will have your head banging. .Paak starts a political anthem in his song “6 Summers,” as he discusses publicly known things happening in the world. He addresses Donald Trump’s sex scandal and gun violence. In his last verse of the song he address President Trump himself, rapping about how he knows he does not care about the world, but if he had the chance, he would utilize the evidence of Trump’s crimes and tell the world. With the incorporation of funk and hip-hop, this song shows how .Paak can go off and still tie in the groovy vibes. Through these issues, .Paak has also used his musical platform to send the message about love and being the voice for the future.
Oxnard is .Paak’s way of showing how he has grown since his fame. In his words, “This is the good times and the bad times – life after Malibu.”
Not only was he able to bring along some of the most notorious hip hop and R&B artists along his album, he is also able to create unique beats and rap captivating lyrics that keep music lovers wanting more from the beloved musician. This album is great because it shows the true dedication he has for music and how they are able to share that experience with everyone.
Rating: 7/10
Rachel Miloscia is a junior majoring in telecommunications. To contact her, email rmiloscia34@gmail.com.
