Anderson .Paak Enlists Smokey Robinson for New 'Ventura' Single "Make It Better"

With just a week to go until Anderson .Paak releases his anticipated new studio album Ventura, the multi-talented California singer-songwriter is following up last month’s “King James” record with another new single, “Make It Better.” Most notably, “Make It Better” is a collaboration with Smokey Robinson and comes to us via an Andy Hines-directed music video.

“He’s still got it,” Anderson .Paak tells Zane Lowe, opening up about his legendary “Make It Better” collaborator for an exclusive exchange with Beats 1. “He came through. He said, ‘You gotta make it nice, baby. You gotta say something sweet to her, baby. If you want her to fall in love, you gotta make love to her with your words, man.’ I was like, ‘Smokey, this is what I have.’ You know. My original was like, ‘It’s easier to run away than to eat what’s on your f*cking plate,’ and he was like, ‘No baby. What in the hell? No, no.’ And then he came back. He said, ‘Burn me a disc, one with the instrumental, one with the lyrics. I’ma come back. I’ma have it ready for you.’ Came back, ‘It’s easier to run away than to look at what would make you stay.’ I was like, ‘Goddammit, Smokey!’ Yeah yeah. It was great, man. It was a beautiful collaboration.”

You can check out the music video for Anderson .Paak and Smokey Robinson’s new Ventura single “Make It Better” above. Ventura is scheduled to see release on April 12, and will also feature guest appearances by Andre 3000, Jazmine Sullivan, Brandy, Sonyae Elise and Lalah Hathaway, as well as posthumous vocals from Nate Dogg.