You should've been downtown

July 9, 2020 10:58 PM

Last month Anderson .Paak released a new video / single, "Lockdown" (directed by Dave Meyers). "Set against an easy-rolling funk groove characteristic of the artist's summery sound, the song relates .Paak's own experiences attending recent protests and voices his belief in the righteous motivations behind them."
posted by joseph_elmhurst (5 comments total)

Thanks for posting this. People have been calling the Jay Rock verse on this track the "verse of the year," and it is quite a tour de force.

(Unfortunately the Jay Rock verse seems to be included only in the video, not in the streaming-service versions of the track - or at least it wasn't the last time I checked.)
posted by Umami Dearest at 12:31 AM on July 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Such a jam! I've generally been unimpressed with pandemic-related songs, but this one slams.
posted by grumpybear69 at 8:08 AM on July 10, 2020

As an old white dude: Anderson .Paak is a fucking genius.
posted by Rumple at 9:22 AM on July 10, 2020 [2 favorites]

Lockdown (Music Video Version) lyrics on Genius

Say their names. Know (something) of their stories. (Screencap of the typographic fist at the end, with links some background stories for each name.)

Too many damn names there, and every story is one of loss and grief, though each is an incomplete look at who those people were before they were killed.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:53 AM on July 10, 2020 [2 favorites]

Am wowed by his Tiny Desk Concert - Anderson .Paak & The free Nationals.
posted by fourpotatoes at 12:27 PM on July 10, 2020 [2 favorites]