Anderson .Paak is already a busy man. There’s the Silk Sonic project he’s got with Bruno Mars (which will see an album drop this month), not to mention his recent killer run of Halloween looks for 2021. Still, the rapper/singer/instrumentalist has found time to unveil his own label: APESHIT INC.
The label, a joint venture with the Universal Music Group, has been created by .Paak as a result of noticing that ‘less and less’ performers he was seeing were playing actual instruments. APESH*T is set to ‘showcase all genres of artists and push musicians that play instruments to the forefront’, according to a statement this week.
A video, featuring .Paak himself fronting up to a fake press conference, humorously describes the name’s origins (‘Anderson Paak Empire’ and being ‘on some other shit out here in this music business jungle’) and what he aims to achieve with it.
Watch the video below.
“I wanted to start a label that sets fire to a new generation of artists, who can play while performing,”.Paak has said of the label.
“This label is going to be about passion, about feeling, about honesty. It’s about respect for the culture and art and it’s about heart.”
“I was going to shows and realised that less and less I was seeing actual performers. Where is the next generation that can play instruments?? I know they’re out there – don’t sell your instruments, this label wants to hear you!!”
The label’s first artists and projects haven’t been announced yet, but are expected to be unveiled in the not too distant future. In the meantime, Anderson .Paak is staying firmly focused on getting new music out there: the debut Silk Sonic album – An Evening With Silk Sonic – drops on November 12.
