Anderson .Paak is something of a contradiction. A man so committed to the small details – yes, the dot is deliberate, unpronounced and there as a reminder of the little things – yet operating with surprisingly loose parameters on himself and the creative process that drives him on.

Whether it’s collaborating with Kendrick Lamar to help deliver the biggest hip hop release of the year so far, Black Panther, or a little-known Berlin collage artist on Paak’s oft-cited Instagram feed, and even with a bunch of old high school friends on a community project, Paak House, in his home town, the Californian’s outlets know no bounds.

“It’s natural for me to put myself into different elements, be it the writers or producers, or other creative people,” he told Vogue Man Arabia during a recent visit to Dubai. “People who dedicate their lives to something, like fabrics, colors, anything, I love that. These people in their field, seeing them work, it’s like breathing for them. Natural. They allow you to join them wholeheartedly in their thing, and when you can trust someone with their artistry, you can make it work for you.”

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Words and phrases like ‘pure expression’, ‘artistry’, and ‘working without boundaries’ are common parlance for Paak. For him, it seems the journey starts without a definitive idea of the destination. Perhaps that’s why a 2016 interview with the UK’s Guardian newspaper described his sound as, ‘a warm and hazy blend of styles – funk, jazz, New York house, reggae, trap, blaxploitation-era soul, a hint of psych-rock – anchored in R&B and hip-hop.’ Essentially, ‘who knows?!’ At this, as the sub-genres are listed off, Paak himself roars with laughter.

“Listen, I don’t want to put anything in a box or limit it by saying ‘my sound is this’. I come from the church, from black music, so it is definitely under that umbrella. But what I feel like I am doing has never really been done, so far as someone coming out of hip hop but playing an instrument in the live scene.”

Paak is currently working on his third album, having taken great strides with his chief collaborator Knxledge, and his band The Free Nationals, since Malibu dropped. Who has thrown their two cents into the pot, though, remains a closely guarded secret. Surely Dr Dre, Kendrick and others are ready to return the favor?

“As long as I am putting out hot stuff, people are always going to want to be a part of it,” he explained. “The hard thing is picking and choosing who to work with; it’s important to keep it selective in the people and brands you collaborate with, don’t stretch. Stick with those who have been around a bit, are thorough and get you.”

Those qualities don’t necessary correlate with being big names, though, which is where graphics artist Simone Cihlar comes in. The pair met in Germany, backstage at Splash music festival in 2016, and ‘have since connected on an emotional and professional level’, delivering what is widely considered one of most interesting social media presences in music.

“He’s one of the best clients I’ve ever worked for. Most importantly, we mutually respect, trust and have fun with each other,” she has said, almost straight out of the Paak playbook. “Having a good time with people and enjoying each other’s company is a great motor and base for creating the most honest work. With Anderson, it’s so easy and enjoyable working with him because he totally trusts me. I immediately liked him as a person, so it was very easy to get into his flow.”

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Employing a blend of static and video content within giant, continual flow collages, the Instagram feed is an independently creative outlet, never used to push other aspects of career.

“I was trying to think of ways I could get my personality across on social media, to touch my audience but still be me. I’m not into the everyday [bulls**t], I just wanted to reflect my art.”

Paak, who initially broke through in the music industry under the moniker Breezy Lovejoy, but ditched it after a largely ignored self-released second album, wasn’t always so considerate of the ‘full package’. As he’s developed as a musician, those side pots have come naturally.

“When I switched over to Anderson Paak, it all became important to me and I just started to putting more energy towards that package. The stuff around the outside has never been my everything, but I have found myself able to direct energy towards to it in a way I didn’t before.”

So with so much on, where next? “I’m always anxious to do stuff, I wanna get in with everybody.”

So much for the small details.