Last week, Anderson .Paak released a brand new track, “Bubblin”, without any formal announcement of an upcoming band, nor any indication if the song was from his solo vault or with his band The Free Nationals. The thrilling new song was paired with a music video and lots of social media promotion. Last night, Anderson .Paak brought The Free Nationals with him to perform the new track on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
In an interview with Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio program when the song made its world premiere, .Paak expressed that “Bubblin” is just one of “65,000 songs in the vault.” The new song, which he described as a “whole lot of fun”, is influenced by Jahlil Beats and Antman Wonder. Describing it as “black-007-action-adventure-high-speed-chase type of music,” .Paak said that he also tried to get Lil Sims on the song before he decided to write it alone.
Watch Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals perform “Bubblin'” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! below:
Earlier this year, Anderson .Paak promised fans not one, but two albums in 2018: one solo record and one with his band The Free Nationals. New music from Anderson .Paak is highly anticipated within the hip-hop community following the enormous praise generated by his Grammy-nominated breakthrough album, Malibu, in 2016. So far this year he’s appeared on the Black Panther soundtrack, and his music was featured in a visually striking Spike Jonze-directed Apple commercial starring FKA Twigs.
In the same interview that “Bubblin'” was debuted, Anderson .Paak revealed that he’s been working alongside Dr. Dre on the forthcoming solo record, who he says has “been very instrumental to taking it to the next level.” Dr. Dre has apparently been involved in the entire creative process, from writing melodies to putting together video ideas. “That’s the whole point when you’re working with a really good producer,” .Paak emphasized, “you let them produce.”
There has yet to be an official album announcement from Anderson .Paak on either album, though this single release is certainly a step in the right direction. Watch the official music video below, starring Anderson .Paak, an ATM machine, his adorable break-dancing son, and a bunch of strippers: