Bangkok’s sure got it

I got to know Allurre from a previous project I did for Junk two years back, and we’ve been in touch ever since. This boy is probably one of the most hardworking 21 year olds I’ve ever met, with plenty of big things popping up for him.

Andrew Wang took the stage name Allurre because "to allure" was what he wanted to do through his music and as a person in general. Born in Taipei, Allurre grew up in Bangkok and spent six years in LA at the age of 11. He grew up listening to the Sugarhill Gang, Kool Moe Dee, Grandmaster Flash and Run-DMC. He was also exposed to Chinese nursery rhymes, which his mum got him popping to when he was his wee self. “Those were the shit,” he claims. Word, nothing like going back to your roots.

Allurre started off young with a dream of being a lyricist; he wrote songs every night before he went to bed. He can’t remember his first song, but his second attempt was called ‘Caught In The Rain’. Right now, he's pimping hard by endeavouring to release a hit single each week. Very ambitious of him.... “I wanted to do something out of the ordinary like how Jay-Z records without having lyrics written. I’ve been a studio whore lately,” he says.

When asked what the inspiration behind his music is, he says he doesn’t necessarily look up to anyone during his song-making process as he wants to carry his style as his own. “Writing allows me to flex my creative muscles and get reflective with the current happenings in my life," says Allurre. "I got songs for girls, clubs and inspirational stuff. I’m also working on rapping bilingually (English/Chinese). China will soon be the biggest market!”

As young as he is, Allurre has a mind of an entrepreneur. He writes his own songs and owns an entertainment/fashion company called LuxLivin Entertainment. He gets inspired from Jay-Z most most of all for his business visions, accomplishments and musical artistry. “On the entertainment side, I offer services like songwriting, artist development, artist consultancy, beat-making, etc. On the fashion tip I now have a premium business streetwear brand called LTL, which stands for Livin That Luxury, and have season 3 in the making,” he explains. Among this craziness, he’s also releasing a LuxLivin compilation to give the public a chance to check out the label’s artists, which will include Allurre himself. Plenty of videos are being planned as well.

Allurre is currently struggling as a Thai artist because his material is mostly in English, but he insists that's the only downfall. “Apart from that, it’s all good. I still get the respect and love for what I do.” He feels the hip hop culture in Bangkok will continue to expand, but hip hop in the music industry has a long way to go. “The majority of people here are still wrapped inside the pop bubble. Hip hop hasn’t emerged as a lifestyle in this city yet; it’s merely an entertainment source.”

As for future plans, Allure wants to expand his LuxLivin product line to include fitted hats and even denim jeans. He would also like to collaborate with other companies. Look out for LuxLivin’s new Season 3, 4 and 5 before the year end. Oh, and of course, Allure’s album. His dream? “To garner global recognition and hopefully inspire other upcoming artists to stick to their dreams and find prosperity. I want to be a hero.”

www.myspace.com/allurre

Words Tay Gei Photo Virunan Chiddaycha