Anderson .Paak, whose pairing with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic recently netted the duo a Hot 100 No. 1 via debut single “Leave the Door Open,” has signed a worldwide administration deal with Warner Chappell Music in partnership with Dr. Dre’s Hard Workin’ Black Folks publishing company.
The agreement covers the current Silk Sonic single and .Paak’s new music moving forward, as well as the four-time Grammy winner’s full catalog.
After giving .Paak his first Hot 100 No. 1 and the eighth for fellow Warner Chappell songwriter-producer Mars, “Leave the Door Open” presently stands at No. 3 on the chart, per MRC Data. It also climbs to No. 1 this week on Billboard’s Radio Songs chart, marking .Paak’s first No. 1 and Mars’ ninth No. 1 on that tally. In addition, “Door” now counts four weeks atop the Hot R&B Songs chart. With more than 350 million global streams, the single — released through Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records — is the lead-off to Silk Sonic’s first full-length album, An Evening with Silk Sonic, due later this year.
Anderson .Paak is signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label.
Warner Chappell Music co-chair/CEO Guy Moot and co-chair/ COO Carianne Marshall said in a statement, “Anderson .Paak is a true music man who’s bringing back funk and soul with style and originality, earning him a massive global following. He’s been wildly successful as a songwriter, producer and performer, and his incredible versatility has landed him collaborations with a diverse range of top artists as well as a raft of awards for his solo work.”
The pair added that they are “thrilled to welcome him to the Warner Chappell family and proud to represent him and his phenomenal repertoire of songs.”
Warner Chappell Music president of A&R, U.S. Ryan Press, said, “Anderson .Paak is already at the top of his game, and yet he continues to reach higher and higher. He effortlessly brings an optimistic and feel-good vibe to every song he releases, and his latest hit with Bruno Mars is well on its way to becoming one of the top songs of the summer. He truly exemplifies everything a great songwriter can be, and it’s an absolute honor to get to be a part of his journey.”
Anderson .Paak, whose skillset also includes rapper, director and multi-instrumentalist, released his debut studio album Venice in 2014. Sophomore set Malibu arrived two years later, with .Paak receiving Grammy nominations for best new artist and best urban contemporary album. Third studio album Oxnard followed in 2018.
The artist won his first Grammy in 2019 for best rap performance with his 2018 non-album single “Bubblin.” Then in 2020 .Paak took home two more Grammys: best R&B album for 2019 fourth album Ventura (which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200) and best R&B performance for album track “Come Home” featuring André 3000.
Earlier this year, the artist won his fourth Grammy for best melodic performance on behalf of non-album single “Lockdown.” Released last summer on Juneteenth (June 19), the protest song inspired a Grammy-nominated video featuring Andra Day, Jay Rock and others.
Thus far, .Paak has also collaborated with artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Smokey Robinson, Mac Miller, Jazmine Sullivan and Dr. Dre, appearing on the latter’s 2015 gold-certified Compton album.
Last October, .Paak was named the first global music ambassador for footwear brand Vans. In 2017, he established .Paak House, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating safe havens for youth through community outreach, sponsored events and after-school/summer programs.
