Though he’s a wide-ranging artistic force spanning epochs of soul, R&B, rock, funk, disco, jazz, and hip-hop, everyone knows that Anderson .Paak can rap, too. But, when he pulls in JID, Noname, and Jay Rock (Dreamville, independent Chicago, and TDE, respectively) for a remix of his protest anthem, Lockdown, playing the part of the groovy choral soul child is a natural role to embrace. Where once stood a monolithic artistic stance strong in the middle of the protests, now stands even taller a showing of brash collaboration and musical superiority in the name of the same fight.

 

Between the three collaborative joiners, it’s hard to make any claims that one is more talented than the other. Instead, it’s best to simply accept that there couldn’t really be a more poetically dynamic trio than those already chosen for the part. With the additions of their impeccable, thoughtful verses, Lockdown unearths a much more hip-hop oriented musical direction, where JID, Noname, and Jay Rock all swing towards the funk-laden edges of their musical tenants, allowing the song itself to still boast its timeless, soulful charm even under a new identity.