Snoop Dogg & Anderson .Paak Bridge 2 West Coast Generations With a Passing of the Torch (Video)
In addition to getting the Doggfather to use his signature catchphrase (Yes Lawd!), Anderson .Paak is dominating the Hip-Hop playing field right now, incorporating his unmistakably raspy Soul inflection in records with Dr. Dre, the Game, DJ Premier, and others. The Los Angeles, California-based MC/singer/drummer/producer is putting on for his city in a major way with his recently released Malibu, but fans of his have been following since the P.A.P. years (pre-Anderson .Paak, when he went by Breezy Lovejoy). Day-one fans are celebrating his meteoric rise to critical acclaim, much of which is due to the serious work he put in on Dre’s Compton album, and as his exposure continues to catapult him into the stratosphere, his megawatt smile and infectious sense of humor is being showcased in shows like the Mass Appeal-produced web series “A N I M A L” and most recently, Snoop Dogg’s YouTube series, “GGN.”
On the latest episode of the Double G News Network, the two West Coast artists get straight to the interview, but not before Snoop bestows the honor on .Paak of being called his “cousin.” As the two share a blunt, Snoop shares with the audience that he was first turned on to .Paak after hearing his record “Suede,” released by Nx Wxrries, a duo he formed with producer Knxledge. Snoop then asks his guest to share what got him into such Soulful repertoire, and .Paak mentions his mother’s influence as well as the memory of watching the Curtis Mayfield-inspired film Superfly at a young age. He calls the film “my Star Wars,” a description Snoop agrees with wholeheartedly. The duo spends a considerable amount of time discussing Dr. Dre and his legacy, with .Paak sharing anecdotes about performing the icon’s music at show-and-tell events in 2nd grade, and it’s evident that these two musicians, although born a generation apart, are not only inspired by similar artists, but inspired by each other.
Related: See Why Anderson .Paak Has Co-Signs from Dre, Premier, 9th Wonder, Madlib & More (Video)
Snoop asks .Paak to elaborate on his feelings about Venice, his debut solo album that many Heads are just now hearing about. “I love Venice,” .Paak begins. “It’s important to me. My whole thing was that I wanted to show range.” It’s a perfect reflection of the record, which features Trap-inspired party anthems like “Drugs” side-by-side with downtempo Soul records like “I Miss That Whip.” “Don’t everything gotta be one texture all the time. Like, we get it. It’s fun and stuff, but like, shake it up a little bit,” he says of music he’s heard. The interview is incredibly expository about .Paak’s direction as an artist, and it also includes moments of heartfelt laughter, a Pharrell cameo (of sorts), an announcement about .Paak’s upcoming performance at Coachella, and much more. If you watch closely, you can actually see the torch being passed.
Related: Anderson .Paak Gives You One More Chance To Get Into The Party, On A Hi-Tek Funk Track (Audio)