Anderson .Paak and Cordae announce album Heavy Is The Crown
The hip-hop landscape is buzzing with fresh energy, highlighted by the announcement of a highly anticipated collaboration between Anderson .Paak and Cordae. These two musical forces have joined forces to create their debut joint album, Heavy Is The Crown, promising a sonic experience that is as rich and layered as its subject matter.
The project is set to hit streaming platforms on October 23, released through the collaboration of APESHIT, Mass Appeal, and EMPIRE. While the tracklist and lead single remain under wraps, fans are already diving into the pre-save and pre-order options for the album.
This isn’t their first foray into joint creation. .Paak and Cordae have already built a rapport through previous work, including the track RNP, which appeared on Cordae’s Grammy-nominated debut, The Lost Boy. They further demonstrated their creative chemistry with subsequent collaborations like Two Tens in 2023 and Summer Drop in 2024, drawing from Cordae’s third record, The Crossroads.
The visual aesthetic of Heavy Is The Crown is as striking as the music. The album art is modeled directly on the iconic poster for Adam McKay’s 2008 comedy, Step Brothers, immediately injecting a sense of playful, cinematic energy into the project.
To offer a unique physical experience, the album will be released across multiple formats, including an animated zoetrope pressing and a lenticular-cover CD, appealing to fans who appreciate both high-fidelity audio and striking visual design.
The collaboration speaks to a shared philosophy of musical exploration. Anderson .Paak, known for his expansive approach to art, recently shared his joy in working with others, noting that collaboration unlocks a creative headspace he finds singular. He explained that working with other artists allows him to access creative avenues that he cannot explore in solo work.
Cordae’s own work has also garnered critical acclaim, with his previous album From A Birds Eye View receiving a glowing five-star review from NME in 2022, praising its ability to craft nostalgic hip-hop sounds in three-minute bursts.
Both artists are currently enjoying busy creative seasons. .Paak recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of his breakthrough album Malibu, and he also made his feature-film directorial debut with K-Pops!. Cordae continues to deliver thought-provoking music that continues to breathe hope into the evolution of hip-hop.
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