Anderson .Paak’s CV is packed with big names. He has worked with the likes of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Game, and Dr. Dre, with whom he collaborated on his latest album Compton. It then seems fairly surprising that he remains a relative unknown in the mainstream music scene, but he is obviously making strides to change this with his latest tour.

What is clear from his London performance is that he is an extremely talented musician. He flitted effortlessly from vocals to drums to keyboard, and his focus on quality did not go unnoticed. In terms of this, it was one of the most accomplished gigs seen this year, which pays tribute to his musical potential.

XOYO was absolutely packed with people wanting to catch a glimpse of Anderson .Paak. Unfortunately, the venue did not limit capacity in any way, which left the crowd dense and irritable, as there was not enough space to really enjoy the music that was going on. This put a damper on the evening, but also serves to underline that Anderson .Paak is deserving of a much larger venue in which to showcase his talents.

Hopefully, 2016 will be Anderson .Paak’s year, in which he can escape from the shadow of his famous collaborators and make a real name for himself as a solo artist, as he certainly possesses the talent. 

Eleanor Robinson