Episode #252: A Star2 is Born
“As an artist, the bigger you get, the bigger fan base you get. There's more eyes and ears focusing on you! When I have enough attention and focus on me, then I'll let the world know about my people. I'm the first from my people to make it this far in the industry. I can't let them down. I've come a long way, and they are still suffering from the same things my family had to deal with before we came to the U.S. It's very sad and it motivates me to keep going and not give up.”
These are the words of Star2, a Karen artist whose extraordinary journey has spanned continents and defied the odds. Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Star2 and his family fled violence and persecution at the hands of the Burmese military. These early years were marked by a struggle to survive, with daily life centered around securing basic necessities like water and food. “Sometimes we had to ask our neighbors to borrow their rice,” he recalls, adding that protein sources were far harder to locate, and often led him to trying to catch fish. “A cup full of rice would feed the whole family! I used to walk barefoot around the camp.”
His grandmother’s decision to take the family to the United States was a pivotal moment, offering a glimmer of hope amid all the hardship. They ended up in San Diego, California. Yet adjusting to life there came with its own set of challenges. The language barrier, cultural differences, and economic hardships were daunting, and Star2 faced bullying and isolation. But these experiences only fueled his determination. Music became his refuge, and his voice. Initially influenced by artists like Justin Bieber, he soon found a deeper connection with hip-hop, in particular Tupac Shakur and other West Coast rappers. “What inspires me is I know they all had their tough times. They all had to go through their path. So I feel like if they can make it, I can make it.”
While Star2 hopes to be a beacon of hope for those Karen who are struggling to survive in the wake of the military coup, he also hopes his music transcends boundaries and resonates with people from all walks of life, no matter where they are from. Reflecting on his very diverse peer group growing up, he shares how it shaped his musical journey and worldview. “I had black friends, Mexican friends, Asian friends, not just Karen. That influenced me to become like them for a little bit, like when I started rapping and listening to hip hop.”
It was this early experience that also led to creating music touching upon universal themes. “Everybody, behind the big smile, has dealt with pain,” he says. “Every man cries sometimes… It's hard to talk to somebody about how you feel, so it's easiest for some people to put in a song and just share it to the world.” This approach was seen in his video Pain, in which he collaborated with an African American based rapper named Lil Poppa. “He's another kid from poverty,” he says, “He’s from Jacksonville, and from a very rough neighborhood, similar to mine, and he had to hustle his way out through music.”
Overall, Star2's music is a testament to his versatility as an artist, showcasing a broad range of themes and genres. Besides hip-hop, he also creates R&B and pop music among other genres. This wide-ranging approach allows him to address both the gritty realities of his past and the universal emotions of love, aspiration, and resilience. “What I've gone through in life and what I experienced, all that stuff I put in my music," he says, adding that he hopes his own individual stardom can ultimately shine a light on his community. “If I had the opportunity to be the voice for my people and speak, I'd let the world know what my people are going through and what [the junta has] done to my people.”
Star2’s journey came full circle when he was able to not just visit, but also perform in refugee camps on the Thai border earlier this year. “Every time we flew a drone up, they thought it was a plane, a jet that was about to drop a bomb! A lot of the villagers ran to the river because they saw our drones flying in the air. They didn’t know it was us.” Star2 met with a number of refugees, each with their own harrowing story of loss and survival. He encountered children who had lost their parents, adults with severe injuries, and women who were single mothers because their husbands had died in the conflict. In fact, the majority of the men were away at the front lines, leaving behind communities that were predominantly women and children. “People are still scared. But they were happy that I went back, because that gave them hope,” he says. “There's nothing to be scared of.”
Star2 reflects on the growing impact of his musical career. “[My listeners are] people who have gone through what I’ve gone through, people who feel like they don’t fit in, because I never fit in. I was different. But people who are different, they’re usually my people. They’re very supportive. Back home in the jungle, they listen to my stuff even though there’s no service out there. It’s crazy! Even in Myanmar, I have a big fan base. Burmese people, all Asian people, it doesn’t matter what type of Asian you are. As long as I’m growing and becoming bigger and more well-known, I’m the voice for the Asian community, not just my people."