A Khmer rapper in Long Beach, California by the name of praCh is very impressive and is making a name for himself. Like some rappers who rap about life in the hood, he raps about his life in Long Beach and about the Khmer Rouge. I enjoyed his honest, simple, straightforward, no nonsense, and hard-hitting lyrics. His lyrics touched me in a way that I can't describe. The rhyming, the flow, the words used, the theme, and the story just grab my attention and made me listen. His use of Khmer words, interspersing with the mostly English lyric, are not just fill-ins or for stalling to make the words rhyme, but has very deep meaning and very well placed that can touch those that understand Khmer in a way that English can't. I enjoyed his music and reading his lyrics. He's indeed a good writer/poet/performer/artist.

You can read more about praCh here and his sample lyrics here.


WelCome
by praCh


i was welcome into this world,
nineteen seventy nine was the year.
those was the time,
the end'n of the killing field in Kampuchea.
i love Cambodia, cus i was born there.
but during those time,
my people was living in fear.
all cramp up in camp concentration,
millions of refugees can u hear me?
are u listening?
there just gotta be a way out of there.
so i " sah-ma sah-put-toe ta sac "
then disappear.
my country crumble'n
cus communist is conquering
from all the broke'n promises
anonymous sponsoring.
fleeing the country, knees deep in defeat.
i can't sleep. some make it threw,
the other may they rest in peace.
cus after one thousand, three hundred,
and sixty days, struggle'n for life.
dodge'n boobies traps land mines,
travel'n day and night.
we fight for our rights,
because we refuse to lose.
flee'n for freedom use'n flip flop for shoes.


i was welcome into the U.S.
nineteen eighty three was the year.
soon our feet hits the ground,
my mom busted in tears.
words can't describe,
a moment so rare.
and right by her side,
my father was there.
staring at the skies,
hold'n each other.
realize we survive the genocide,
and still together.
"twye ba kome ( loc yahy-loc tha )"
and praise to Buddha.
cus from that point on,
" it can only get BETTER! "
bright lights, big city,
we sheltered under shadows.
a refugee community,
two family per house hold.
needed clothes, neighborhood thrift store.
needed food, check the fridge for left over.
our first car was like a cart,
push it to start, and once it spark,
it's already dark.
days turn to night,
night turn to day,
something gotta change,
we couldn't live that way.
so we round up the spare changes,
from over the years we save.
then bless the rest,
and move west to the golden state.
California, Long Beach.


from : Dalama..." then end'n is just the beginnin."trax : # 6 ( copy righted 1999 )