Anderson .Paak’s directorial debut, “K-Pops!,” arrived in AMC Theaters nationwide Friday, February 27, 2026, marking a novel chapter in the Grammy-winning musician’s already multifaceted career. The film, which .Paak co-wrote and stars in alongside his son, Soul Rasheed, centers on a struggling Los Angeles-based drummer who travels to Seoul, South Korea, seeking a break in the world of K-pop.
The premise for “K-Pops!” originated during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, a period when .Paak found himself spending more time with his son. “He was like eight years old, and [I didn’t know] about either of those things,” .Paak told The Hollywood Reporter, referring to his son’s dual fascination with YouTube and K-pop. “When we started making these YouTube videos, it brought me back to when I was a kid and wanting to do, like, all kinds of home videos with my sisters.”
In the film, .Paak plays BJ, a drummer who lands a gig as part of the house band for “Wildcard,” a fictional K-pop competition series. He unexpectedly discovers that one of the young contestants, Tae Young, is his son. Soul Rasheed portrays Tae Young, making “K-Pops!” a deeply personal project for the artist, born Brandon Paak Anderson.
The film similarly serves as an exploration of .Paak’s own heritage. He is one-quarter Korean, a fact often unknown to the public despite being reflected in his middle-turned-last name and tattoos, including a Korean flag, according to Rolling Stone. His mother was born in South Korea to a Korean woman and an African American sailor, and was later adopted by a Black naval construction worker in Compton, California.
.Paak has spoken about wanting to ensure his son understood and embraced both sides of his identity. “I was always, you know, pushing for my son to know about both cultures,” he said, as reported by Rolling Stone. “You know, I thought that was critical. I knew he knew a lot about BTS but I was always, like, ‘Do you know about BET?’”
The making of the film allowed .Paak to forge a stronger bond with his son. “Getting to spend that much time with my son, I wanted to do something that we could create a bond with and I was getting to know more about his interests and I was having fun doing it,” .Paak stated to The Hollywood Reporter. The project, five years in the making, is intended to be a family comedy that highlights Black and Korean cultures, according to .Paak.
Beyond “K-Pops!,” .Paak is preparing to tour with Bruno Mars, performing as DJ Pee .Wee. The two artists, who form the duo Silk Sonic, have won four Grammys together and are also discussing the possibility of creating new music while on tour, .Paak revealed to The Hollywood Reporter.
