GINO Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 (edited) In the ‘70s, Thailand and Cambodia were under the Khmer Rouge communist regime, a repressive regime which conducted a terrible genocide within the country, killing at least two million of its own people on almost any pretext. In fact, over a quarter of the entire Thai and Cambodian population was put to death. This situation led to massive emigration, and many Thai and Cambodians fled to cities such as Los Santos, San Andreas, Fresno and Long Beach, California, where they built their own community. Conflicts with Mexicans and Americans who were already in that area were unavoidable. Nattanon Vilailuck was born on 25 October 1996 into not such a friendly environment, as his dad, his uncle and all his family were in continuous gang rivalry: ‘It’s just how we grew up’ is the most suitable way to put it. The Asian gangs appeared as a result of Mexicans’ and Americans’ violent attitude towards the Southeast Asian immigrants: ‘It was just to protect our race’. Because Nat’s father was affiliated with the local gang, he got into a lot of serious problems, being in prison for several periods when his son was just a growing child. However, Nat had a good relationship with his dad, considering him to be a good father no matter if he was in jail or not: ‘I remember getting a letter from him. At my birthdays when he wouldn’t be there, he drew a Pokemon and sent it to me.’ As he grew into his teens, his dad tried to steer him away from this violent and dangerous path: ‘He never wanted Nat to join gangs’, and Nat is grateful for that. Nattanon Vilailuck is the real live proof that there is always another way of dealing with things apart from violence; his trusting and effective way is music. However, he is not just a rapper; he represents an entire community, with the joys and sorrows of its past and present. Edited May 18, 2020 by El Botas Blancas 2 Link to comment
Recommended Posts