Best believe you can get down to Hello Peril’s groovy tunes without looping “Always Be My Maybe” over and over.
The fake band featured in the Netflix rom-com has a couple of songs that can be streamed on Spotify, including the banger “I Punched Keanu Reeves,” the track that captured everyone’s hearts during the credits.
Randall Park, who plays frontman Marcus in the movie, co-wrote the songs with hip-hop producer Dan the Automator. The actor actually has some cred when it comes to songwriting. Back in the day, he was in a real-life rap group called Ill Again and co-star Ali Wong would frequent his shows.
And while “I Punched Keanu Reeves” seems like a bold move ― poking fun at Reeves, who’s actually in the movie ― Park told Pitchfork that the actor was totally game for the track.
“I sent him an email with some of the lyrics and asked if it would be OK, and he was totally down. He even gave some suggestions,” Park said.
The band’s name comes with its own story. “Hello Peril” is a nod to history, playing on “Yellow Peril,” the longstanding racist perception that Asians take other people’s jobs and threaten national security in the West. The concept took hold specifically in the U.S. in the 19th century, amplified by the arrival of Chinese workers who labored on the railroads.
“The concept of yellow peril has repeated itself throughout history, and it felt like something Marcus would have named the band, because he’s a community guy and he knows his history,” Park told Pitchfork.