Anderson .Paak discusses his directorial debut, ‘K-Pops!’: “I want people to leave the movie inspired, joyful”

The multifaceted Anderson .Paak takes on a new role in his career, opening an exciting new era for the artist.

After years spent as a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, .Paak stepped behind the camera to direct a film that began as a simple desire to write a script about his family, his son, and his craft.

From navigating life with very little to releasing his 2014 debut album ‘Venice’ and becoming a nine-time Grammy winner and collaborating with industry titans, .Paak has a story worth telling—to both professionals and dreamers alike.

The artist has cemented his legacy in the industry, collaborating with the likes of Bruno Mars, BTS’ RM, and G-DRAGON. One of his most celebrated projects is the Grammy-winning duo Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars. Their album, ‘An Evening With Silk Sonic,’ features one of his iconic tracks “Leave The Door Open,” which has amassed over 1.6 billion Spotify streams.

His collaborations include “Still Life” with RM and “TOO BAD” with G-DRAGON. Adding to this list is his recently announced single with aespa, titled “KEYCHAIN,” which is part of the soundtrack for his movie ‘K-Pops!’.

In a 2025 interview, .Paak noted how “heart and community are what make music matter,” reflecting his belief that an artist must channel their life experiences into their work. And that connection is rooted in the heart through music. 

Speaking on his directorial debut, ‘K-Pops!’, with allkpop, .Paak shared, “It feels good to get into another craft, and I enjoy the journey of mastering a new skill.”

He added, “Directing this movie was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most fulfilling.”

Check out allkpop’s full exclusive interview with .Paak below!

allkpop: How did 'K-Pops!' come to life? And what was it like to star in and live the life of the lead actor in a journey where music, family, and culture intersect—especially in a project you personally directed? 

Anderson .Paak: I was stuck in the house with my family during quarantine in 2020, so I was able to learn a lot about my family’s interests. At the time, everyone in my house was obsessed with K-Pop music, so I ended up listening to and learning a lot about it at the time. While we were stuck in the house, I asked my son what he wanted to do, and he said he wanted to be a YouTuber. I didn’t really know what that meant but asked him to show me his page and noticed it could use some help. I was like, “Use me!” I told him we could create skits and do dances. Eventually, I became more interested in his YouTube channel than he was. I was staying up late editing his videos and I found myself wanting to write a script based on the idea of what it would be like not knowing I had a son and finding out that he could be the next K-Pop star. This was the most fun I’ve had, the most work I ever did–and I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

allkpop: ‘K-Pops!’ marks your directorial debut. How does it feel to add another hat to your already impressive list of titles? Was there a specific instance or turning point on set that truly reflected this transition for you?

Anderson .Paak: It feels good to get into another craft, and I enjoy the journey of mastering a new skill. A big learning lesson on this project for me was running out of money in the budget because it forced me to make quick decisions and creative pivots that helped us finish the film–the most notable being our use of animation.

allkpop: Have you had any big realizations or learned anything new while working on this project? 

Anderson .Paak: Yes–prep, prep, prep!

allkpop: Which scenes stood out the most to you, and what made them so memorable? 

Anderson .Paak: I really like the scene with me and Yeji when we’re going back and forth: I find out that I have a son while we’re having dinner, and then Soul comes out and is like, “What?”—and he finds out that his dad isn’t Idris Elba.

allkpop: If there are two or more things you’d like readers or aspiring artists to know, what advice would you give them regarding the intersection of music, art, and culture? 

Anderson .Paak: Make sure you study the greats and know the history. Have respect for the art form and it’ll have respect for you. 

allkpop: Could you walk us through the process from having the vision to finally executing it? What was the experience like directing 'K-Pops!'? 

Anderson .Paak: I came up with the idea for the movie during quarantine and wrote a script. And I tried to bring it to some places, but they would always come back with, “Oh, this is great, but we want so and so to direct it or so and so to star in it.” I knew that I wanted to direct it and I didn’t want anyone else to be around my son. So, I went to my best friend Dumbfoundead who said we should bring it to Stampede and from there it kind of took off. I ended up working with an incredible co-writer Khaila Amazan, who really taught me how to write a script with multidimensional characters and story arcs. She is also obsessed with K-Pop, so she took me through a kind of K-Pop bootcamp as we were writing the story so that we could do it justice. Directing this movie was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most fulfilling. I can’t wait to do it again. 

allkpop: As a 9x Grammy winner and a renowned producer and director, what was the first personal philosophy or "music philosophy" you believed in? How has imparting that philosophy helped you grow throughout your career? 

Anderson .Paak: Practice makes perfect! I started learning drums and I was good at putting in the hours to actually learn a new craft, which I think laid the foundation for me to learn other skills. I gained a wider vocabulary and it allowed me to do more things because I actually studied some stuff. 

allkpop: What are your thoughts on K-Pop, and how do you see this film playing a part in that industry? Beyond that, what is the main message you want viewers to take away from 'K-Pops!'? 

Anderson .Paak: K-Pop is great! I think it’s an interpretation of Black music, and it’s exciting to see how popular it’s gotten. I think that as long as it continues to grow, people learn more and will study it more. I want people to leave the movie inspired, joyful, and wanting to spend more quality time with their families.