Anderson .Paak has been having a pretty stellar 2018. Though he got started later in the year, releasing his third full-length record, Oxnard, just a couple weeks ago, .Paak has been on quite the run. Oxnard follows up on his California-centric discography, which includes his debut, Venice, and massive sophomore record breakout Malibu. This latest album honors his hometown, and he even threw a carnival there to help celebrate the release. He introduced the album with a huge collaboration with hip-hop’s reigning king, Kendrick Lamar, on “Tints” and also honored his fallen friend and collaborator, Mac Miller, who tragically died earlier this year.
It was Kendrick himself who showed up tonight to help .Paak ring in his first time performing on Saturday Night Live, and the pair performed the hit with .Paak behind his signature drum kit and Lamar taking the lead as a frontman during his verse. Backed with a full band, the electric performance was indicative of all the things that have made Anderson .Paark a star — his commitment to melody and funk, his ability to command a room while keeping perfect rhythm, and his knack for creating catchy, instantly recognizable hooks. Watch the performance above and stay tuned for his second song of the night.
