Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 110 Best Albums of the 2010s, representing a varied cross-section of artists, genres, and styles. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album in the list or for easier navigation, view the full introduction & album index here.
ANDERSON .PAAK | Malibu
ArtClub/Empire/OBE/Steel Wool (2016)
Selected by Marcus Willis
If A Seat At the Table was the thematic complement to To Pimp A Butterfly’s state of Black America, Anderson .Paak’s Malibu was its sonic analog—a breezy trip through a diverse array of musical styles, narrated by a uniquely-voiced, Dr. Dre-mentored Southern California native. Though he popped up on many radars thanks to Dre’s overwrought 2015 album Compton, Malibu was .Paak’s true star turn. Though his gravelly crooning and rhyming were punctuated with notable contributions by 9th Wonder, Madlib, and Kaytranada, it’s his own production, accented by his live drum playing and organic instrumentation, that shines the brightest.
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