Metal Lungies

I’ve revisited Yes Lawd! more than any other album from 2016. I might have been underwhelmed on the first listen because I expected it to go further left given that this was a Stones Throw release by two towering figures of today’s underground/indie rap scene, though Anderson .Paak hasn’t been underground for some time now. But it’s a mistake to listen to Yes Lawd! expecting Madvillain meets Curtis Mayfield. Unlike a Madlib production, the beats glide along comfortably and give .Paak’s retro pimp space to shine and the aesthetic comes out perfect. It’s a soul album having too much fun to take anything too seriously. Watch the video for “Scared Money” and savor all the details smashed together: wads of cash, fur coats, Chinese takeout, Gucci, Louis, and Adidas logos, and the aloof producer with his eyes downcast. Then a sun-scorched basketball court at the end of the world. A full-length remix album later this year means we get to have all this fun again.