Thai Ngo

 

On September 11th, 1983, in Nashville, Tennessee, Thai Minh Ngo was born to Nga Huynh. Thai is the middle of three brothers. Raised by his mother most of his life after his father left the family.

Three years passed, Thai and his family moved to San Jose, California where his mother found a job at a restaurant. He lived an innocent childhood while his parents struggled to put food on the table and care for him and his brothers. At the age of seven, he was left with memories that emotionally scarred him. His father kissed him and said goodbye while his family was eating dinner. He begged for his father to take him along, not knowing what was really going on due to the point Thai was still young. Things were awkward at that second in time that he cried all through the night, feeling as a part of him was missing leaving him alone and confused.

In 1993, Thai's mother moved her family to Portland, Oregon to start a better life. Life did not get better it only got worse. Without a father to help care for the family, his mother worked two to three minimum waged jobs to care for her family. At a young age, Thai would roam the streets finding a place to be accepted, spending most of his time around Asian gangs.

After finishing the 6th grade, Thai's mother was offered a restaurant job in a small city located just outside of Portland. She accepted the offer and once again, moved her family. Thai was enrolled at a new school, starting the 7th grade. He didn't have many friends nor much to do so, he began getting more into music. He used lyrics from other rap artists such as Bone Thugs & Harmony, 2Pac, Eazy-E and used other artist's instrumentals and rapped the lyrics over them. He began developing his own unique style where he began writing.

At the age of twelve, Thai and his family moved back to Portland, Oregon. He continued to hang out with the same crowd, continuing his old life where he left off. A little after he turned thirteen, he was caught with a much older gang in the involvement of a gang shooting after school in broad day light. He was arrested and put in jail facing nine years if convicted. At the time, he was scared and didn't know what would happen, thinking he would be sent off to jail. Since he was at a young age and the shooting being his first offense, he was let off with probation. He felt blessed and thought about changing his ways when he was released. Instead, he went back to his lifestyle with the streets.

Not long after Thai was released, while hanging out at a pool hall with a few friends, he was a target on much older rivals that had much hatred towards him. He was attacked and stabbed in the face with pool sticks leaving him hospitalized. His mother came to the hospital and saw blood covering his face. She couldn't handle the scene and fainted. Thai felt more anger and hatred. The next day he recovered with a broken arm and a scarred face crying by his mother's bed side at the hospital. After recovering, he had nothing else on his mind but the incident. "An eye for an eye."

Thai and his gang was involved in countless shootings, their homes being shot up numerous times, getting into fights weekly at all rival gang hangouts, and was always a high profile suspect with the gang task force unit. At such a young age, he dealt with street drama thinking he would either die or go to jail. Even after seeing many of his friends sent to jail, he never thought about changing his ways.
 

After many years, Thai is still in the same place of his life. Knowing one day something bad would happen, Thai was at a party when a drive by hit letting off over forty rounds into the home. While he was trying to fire back, he was hit but luckily just once, only shattering his bone. He went to the hospital where soon after he was released with a cast to his left arm. At times he felt as he was stuck, and even being shot at, he felt as he never changed. However, he did become more careful with his life but, he seemed to be the same person. It's part of his life story. Throughout his years growing up he wrote about his life experiences of the things he's been through and seen.

In 2000, Thai released his first EP title "Portland Love," with the hit single "Vietnamese Gang." which was downloaded internationally.

On October 20, 2001, Thai’s life changed forever. His beautiful baby boy "Tysa Star Ngo" was born. He began to look at life differently. He felt as he needed to grow up. Though it's funny through all the incidents he's been through, he never thought about changing for any of that. Nearly dodging death, seeing friends come and go. The birth of his son and the first time Tysa called him "Daddy", he knew he had to be a positive role model one way or the other. His son is his life, his heart, and the only reason for him to survive by any means necessary. He wishes to be a better father than his father ever was to him, providing everything he can for his son.

Thai's passion for music grows as he got older. After his first EP "Portland Love", he went right to working on his album. He produced and recorded the whole album in his room. In 2003, He released his first album titled "Together We Rize", which is still selling to this day.

Thai feels as he has a gift with his music knowing he can lift someone's spirit, make someone's day a little bit better, and make a person feel positive in life in any way then it is fulfilling.

What Thai raps about is based on his struggles, the overcoming of his struggles and what he sees around him. He knows that people go through the same things everyday hoping he can reach out to people with his music and tell them that he understands. He is maturing much to this day, seeing life a lot different than how he used to have it. He will never forget what he went through to become who he is today.
 

 

INTERVIEW::
conducted by
 JiZO Jewles


 

PA: You've been tearing up the asian "gangsta rap underground scene" for a little while now. Can you please tell us how you fell in love with HipHop?

Thai: All my life I always loved music.. during my childhood years i listened to a lot of r&b and freestyle, Michael Jackson, Boys ll Men, Stevie b and Colage.. I started really gettin into rap/hiphop when Bone thugz, eazy-e and Deathrow started to spark..

PA: Can you tell us the story behind the highly acclaimed rap song "Vietnamese gang"? Did you write it? You were supposedly only 16 or 17 years old when you sang it?

Thai: Yea Khanh and I wrote it when I was 16.. it just happened.. one day khanh called me up and was like we need to hook up and do something.. he lived in portland also.. so it wasn't that hard for us to hook up. I was already going to the studio up in North side Portland trying to get my thang going.. i was gettin beats from a producer name C.Ant.. I had picked that beat up prior to me and khanh hookin up.. we hooked up at one of my old managers house and just started writing.. after we recorded the track it was leaked out somehow and it just blew up on the net.. back then i didnt have no computer so i didnt really know what was goin on.. i just heard through people that our shit was on the net and they eatin it up..


PA: I remember the first time I was introduced to you and Khanh Nho with
'Vietnamese Gang'. Me and my friends were like man this song is really dope. Do you think one day in the distant future we could be hearing Vietnamese rap lyrics over the mainstream radio waves?

Thai: Nothing is impossible.. but its not going to be anytime soon..


PA: According to your biography, you spent your whole adolescence without a father? Do you think your career as a rap musician would have taken an entire different path if he had been around?

Thai: Yea it would, who knows, i might not even be a rap musician.. my dad was really strict when we was young, he used to beat our ass when we got out of line, I dont think i would be the same person i am today if he was around.


PA: You released two albums so far: "Portland Love" and "Together we rize". How did you go about exposing your music out there? Are you currently with any particular label?

Thai: The track Vietnamese Gang and Around My Town blew up way before Portland Love dropped.. I think i was 17-18 at the time.. i didnt want those songs to go to waste by just havin it out on the net.. so i got to workin on Portland Love.. The way i exposed my music is basically through internet and around my area.. we did alot of shows around the states.. and promoted that way also. With Together We Rize.. We got a distribution deal through city hall which shipped out my cds all across the U.S. and as of right now.. im not signed to no major label.. been doing everything independent since i started.


PA: You mentioned in your Bio that you were heavily inspired by guys like 2pac, Eazy-E and Bone Thugs& Harmony? Anyone else you would like to add to the list? Has anyone else inspired you to become an artist?

Thai: I would add Twista to that list also... thats what i grew up listening to.. and till this day i still listen to it.

PA: The way you rap, your delivery is very different than anyone I have heard which makes you really unique. How did you go about creating your style of rapping or did it just come out naturally?

Thai: I practiced a lot when i was young.. and by doing that my style just came..


PA: What stereotypes do you have to go up against being an Asian
rapper?

Thai: They think we cant rap and that we want to be black.. but anyone that has been followin me since i first came on to the scene knows i have talent and that im my own person, I love music and the whole art form of it..everything that i rap about is from my heart.. and nothing like what people assume.



PA: If you had your pick, who would you like to make a collaboration with?

Thai: I would have to say, Naz


PA: You most recent songs such as "Bring tha pain" and "roll wit uz" had DJ Slim compose the beat for you. They both have a great Westcoast feel to it IMO. Can you tell us more about DJ Slim and how you ended up joining forces with him?

Thai: I met Slim through Kim Loan (PrestigiousModel.com). I gave her one of my portland love cds she gave one to slim.. slim had heard of me before cause of vietnamese gang but didnt really know anything about me.. after that we started talkin alot over the phone about me comin down to cali to work on an album together.. 2-3 years later i made that move down to where he at and the rest is history.

PA: Talking about your new song and music video "Roll wit uz". The music video has already received lots of positive review from music listeners and it barely came out.  The music is "Gangsta", the video is "Gangsta", the girlz are "gangstas"... How did you  long did it take you to shoot the video? Was it a good overall experience?

Thai: It took about 2 days to shoot.. we was on a time scehdule but overall it was a good experience and a learning experience.. now when i shoot my next video i know what to do and not to do.
 

 

PA: What do you hope to have accomplished ten years from now?

Thai: Everything that im doin now. but most of all build my family up.. makin sure everyone livin good and happy. We've been through a lot in our lives and all i want really is everyone just relaxin and enjoyin the good things in life.

 

PA: Any future plans to tour the U.S or even Europe some day?

Thai: After the album drops im plannin to do a tour.. it is in the works and dont know exactly when and where.. but i will find out soon.. i would love to go over seas to do shows eventually.


PA: Do you still have any family in Vietnam or Asia? If so, have you been back to visit them?

Thai: I still got a lot of family back in vietnam.. unfortuanantly when my parents came to america they where the only ones that made it.. so its just me and my brothers.. The last time i went back was when i was 7-8 it was different.. it took me a few days to get used to but after that i had good time.
 

PA: Hmmmm, let' s pretend that G-UNIT makes you an offer and ask you to join their ranks. Would it be something you would consider?

Thai: At this point right now i dont think i can say yes or i can say no.. if that time comes i would just do what my heart feels.



PA: Any words as to when your new album will drop in the stores

Thai: No words yet.. but im shootin for july-august.. I'll make sure I let the world know once I get the word..
 

PA: Is there anything you would like to say to all the french speaking hip hop listeners reading this interview? (Soundz crazy but France has been recognized to have the second largest hip hop industry in the world. (http://www.hiphopcongress.com/features/hiphopfrance.html )


Thai: I appreciate the love and support france is showin..hopefully one day i can learn more about what france is all about and maybe do a tour over there.



PA: Well thanks a lot for allowing us to do this interview Thai. Keep on doing your thang bro.

Thai: Foe sho mang, no problem stay up.
 

 

Official site: www.thaistreets.com

 

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