USC Annenberg and the USC Korean Studies Institute will host an engaging conversation featuring K-Pops! star, director, and writer Anderson .Paak, along with co-writer Khaila Amazan, and will be moderated by USC Annenberg Clinical Associate Professor Hye Jin Lee. 

The discussion will explore the development of the film, .Paak’s journey as a filmmaker, the use of K-pop as a cinematic device, his collaboration with K-pop artists, and broader themes of racial identity and music’s power to connect generations and cultures.

Anderson .Paak is a multi-hyphenate global superstar whose career continues to evolve across music, film, and cultural production. Raised in Oxnard, California, where he began playing drums in his church band, .Paak released his debut album Venice in 2014, followed by Malibu in 2016, which earned him his first GRAMMY nomination. He went on to win multiple GRAMMY Awards, including for “Lockdown,” released on Juneteenth after participating in protests against police brutality. In 2021, he formed the R&B superduo Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars and their hit “Leave The Door Open” surpassed one billion streams, earned four GRAMMYs, and led to a sold-out Las Vegas residency. With his group project NxWorries with producer Knxwledge winning Best Progressive R&B Album for Why Lawd? at the 2025 GRAMMY Awards, .Paak is now a 9X GRAMMY Award-winning artist, producer, and songwriter.

Beyond his solo and collaborative work, .Paak has expanded his creative footprint. His alter ego DJ Pee .Wee has performed vinyl DJ sets at major events including the Met Gala, F1 Las Vegas, and Coachella. He founded his label APESHIT in partnership with Universal Music Group and has directed numerous music videos, earning the 2022 BET Award for Best Director and being credited on a highly regarded music video for Leon Bridges’ “Motorbike.”

In September 2024, .Paak premiered his feature film directorial debut K-POPS! at the Toronto International Film Festival to a standing ovation. Today, he continues his philanthropic efforts through the Brandon Anderson Foundation with his annual .Paak House event, supporting underserved youth in the arts and music. 

Khaila Amazan is a film producer and screenwriter who co-wrote K-Pops!. Her credits include adaptations of Jane Igharo’s The Sweetest Remedy at Netflix (by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Archewell Production) and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow for ACE Entertainment, as well as the viral Spider-Verse animated short The Spider Within, which premiered at Annecy International Film Festival and garnered over 40 million views. In television, she has served as a Story Editor on Amazon’s The Horror of Dolores Roach and as a staff writer on Netflix’s Freeridge, with additional in-studio work for Apple TV, Disney, Illumination, and Sony.

To ensure a lively and substantive discussion, priority access to the March 5 talk will be given to students who attend the March 3 screening.

This event is at capacity and is no longer accepting RSVPs. 

This program is open to all eligible individuals. USC Annenberg operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.