Anderson .Paak's sophomore album, Malibu, washed onto shores on Friday (Jan. 15) and the rapper-singer's song, "The Waters," is a standout track from the collection.

The California native crashed into mainstream consciousness via prominent features on Dr. Dre's Compton project last summer, and Malibu has gotten strong reviews so far.

The Madlib-produced track opens with .Paak boasting "Tried to tell n----s / In 2012, n---- / Working hand-to-hand / And no avail / Volume one was to heavy for you frail n----s / So I got lean like codiene and pills" likely acknowledging the mixed reviews his O.B.E. Vol. 1 earned upon release three and a half years ago.

Where contemporaries like the Weeknd revel in detached melancholy, .Paak isn't afraid of warmth -- and his album's neo-soul affectations are better off for that. Nowhere is that better showcased than on "The Waters." The Kendrick Lamar comparisons have been easy, but here the crooner has taken introspection to a more idiosyncratic place -- part recollection, part hazy dream.

But like K.Dot's To Pimp a Butterfly, "The Waters" wears it's classic soul vibes on it's sleeve. BJ the Chicago Kid provides some hauntingly beautiful harmonies over the jazzy production, which echoes late 90s Soulquarians. That's no accident, as the smooth tune is much more in line with the Native Tongues than it is Dr. Dre.

Listen to Anderson .Paak's Song 'The Waters' Featuring BJ the Chicago Kid

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