Raising Awareness for Refugees With Rapper Star2

Star2 was born in a Thai refugee camp, Mae La, in Thailand. He lived there with his family until the age of six, then his grandmother and her four children migrated to San Diego, CA. Star2 and his family are Ka-ren, a persecuted indigenous tribe from Burma, now named Myanmar. He currently lives and works out of San Diego as a rapper with an affinity for conscious songwriting. His newest single, “Run Away” was recently released. The single is about the current state of the world, with references to the Black Lives Matter movement and current refugee crisis in Thailand, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The music video for the single is just as powerful, with videos of current atrocities happening throughout the world on loop in the background. Star2’s hope is to raise awareness for these issues and give back to those helping out. He works with several nonprofits such as The Border Consortium, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Thailand, The International Rescue Committee, and Karen Outreach to support refugees in Thailand and Ukraine. Read on in our interview with Star2 to learn more about his music, upcoming EP, and how he is offering support to these organizations.

Art, Editor's Pick, zIssue 43Kaylyn WenzelApril 22, 2022Thailand, Refugee, San Diego, Rap, black lives matter, Conscious, songwriting, new single, new EP, Non-profit, Music, Music Video, SupportComment

Kjersti Long Is No One's Princess

Kjersti Long is challenging all of your stereotypical thoughts in her new single, ‘Not Your Princess.’ The song was written after her dad made the mistake of calling her one, and after expressing her displeasure, Kjersti put pen to paper and wrote a song about it. The song celebrates the fact that we are all individual people that are more than a title or the judgement of others. While Kjersti is super fierce, she also has a heart of gold. This can be seen through her interpretation of the song ‘Eleanor Rigby’ by the Beatles. Her music video for ‘Eleanor Rigby’ highlights the feeling of loneliness, a feeling felt by most throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on in our interview to learn about Kjersti’s volunteer work with America’s Grow A Row, her live gigs where proceeds go to Mental Health and Wellness initiatives, and a sneak peek on some upcoming projects.