Music Was His Outlet, Then At Age 22 After Getting Married His Wife Made Him Choose Between Her and Music | Grammy Award Winner, Anderson Paak

People are raised with their own mix of personal and difficult experiences. Often we see the end product but never get to connect with the process that produced the final excellence. Our past pain and tough experiences are not written on our faces unless if we choose to parade them.

Grammy winner Anderson Paak had a tough upbringing like most of us.

His father was violent to his mum and one day almost killed her when Anderson was 7 years old. Anderson was at home and was terrified, but didn’t really know what was happening. There was blood everywhere. His father got arrested and did 14 years in prison.

After his father got out, he reached out to Anderson and wanted to connect with him. The pain and the absence had created a disconnection and Anderson wouldn’t meet or visit him though they communicated a little. By this time, his father had cancer, and was getting close to his death but Anderson didn’t know. He thought he would have more time with him. He died when Anderson was about 23. Reflecting back, he realises that his father was trying to make amends and connect with him. Anderson forgave him but never really got to talk to him because of the bitterness is his heart.

When he was in his high school senior year, his mother and his step father were sent to prison over tax related issues. He was left having to grow up and fend for himself.

He turned to music for everything. It was his outlet and he feels that it saved his life. He tried to work different jobs to fend for himself but continued to make music at the same time.

While in church, he met the girl that would become his wife. After they got married, she gave him an impossible choice; either her or music and it was tough for him. The fact that his significant other wanted to compete with his purpose was tough, and eventually, he chose to pursue his purpose over love.

At 22, he found himself divorced and homeless, moving from couch to couch anywhere he could be accommodated. Musicians his age were already moving forward, but his own career just seemed to be taking forever. He felt like he didn’t have direction. Watching people his age like Drake and Kendrik Lemmar make it made him feel lost.

During his struggles, he met an Asian-American music student called Jae. She embraced his call and believed fully in his vision and what he was doing. They had a child together but were still living on the streets. His child and his new family pushed him to want to change his life and get himself more organised.

He relooked into his work ethic and streamlined his activities to become more focused and efficient. Jae supported him all the way. He started getting better and started coming up with different material. At 28 years old in 2014, after years of working, his music reached the ears of Dr Dre. As he was working in the studio one day, he got a call from Dr. Dre and he went onto meet Dr. Dre and he loved his music. Dre asked him to work on the Dre project and after that he started working in Dr Dre’s studio everyday.

It took him 15 years for his dream to come true. Today Anderson is an acclaimed singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer and multi-instrumentalist. He has released 5 music albums. At the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019, Paak won his first Grammy award for Best Rap Performance with the song “Bubblin”. Apart from his solo career, Anderson is also one-half of NxWorries, alongside record producer Knxwledge. He is accompanied by the band The Free Nationals, who play a variety of instruments such as electric guitar, bass, piano, keyboards and drums and also serve as backing vocalists.

The breakfast club caught up with him and spoke to him. Watch the interview here

About The Author

Desmond Mapfumo is a Mindset Coach, Startup Builder and Consultant. He is the Founder and Contributing Editor For Inspiration Media Publications. Inspiration Media is member of the Rebirth Group, which he also founded and leads as the Chief Executive Officer.