Dr. Dre

Anderson .Paak is back in the spotlight. He recently joined forces with Bruno Mars as Silk Sonic to release their first joint single, “Leave The Door Open,” ahead of their upcoming album. The project will join a growing list of collaborations that .Paak has done with some of the industry’s best, including Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre. He worked with the former on their 2018 single, “Tints,” while the latter served as an executive producer on his 2018 album, Oxnard. In a recent sit-down with Esquire, .Paak shared an update about the two Compton-based acts.

“We talk just through texts and just off and on,” he said about Lamar. “I always check on him and the family and make sure he’s good. He’s always responsive, and just like, just let me know he’s hanging in there just like everybody else.” .Paak also had positive things to say about Dre, who suffered a brain aneurysm at the beginning of the year.

“Dre’s having a good-ass time,” he said in regards ton Dre’s quarantine life. “That’s already his life—isolation, working all the time. I think he was probably used to it. But he’s having fun now because a lot of people have more time on their hands, so they can come visit him and make music with big Uncle Dre.” As for their own collaborations, Paak said Dre has taken a step back is “letting me fly and figure it out.”

The interview also saw the Oxnard-bred act speak about his upcoming fifth album. “With this new material you’re going to get some real topics, and you’re going to get some substance, but mixed with some great grooves,” he said. .Paak also expressed his desire to collaborate with popular K-pop band, BTS.

“I’m working on trying to get that plug, man,” he said. “If you know of any way, let me know, bro.”

Bruno Mars is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.