Thailand is fast becoming one of Southeast Asia’s most fertile breeding grounds for hip hop in Asia. The sheer amount of music coming out of the country is mind-blowing, and it’s remarkably apparent that this generation of social media-savvy rappers is running the game.
At the age of 19, Thai rapper 1MILL now has three albums under his name. His latest, NGU 2, is the highly anticipated sequel to his 2019 debut EP NGU, which stands for “Never Give Up”— a motto the artist constantly evokes in his work ethic and music.
The 14-track album cements the young rapper’s place in the thriving Thai hip hop scene while also materializing a rare connection from where hip hop originated. NGU 2 has only two features, one each from American rappers Yak Gotti and Lil Gotit on “MAFUCKA” and “Breathe,” respectively.
The album offers a mix of contemporary trap and R&B sound. Tracks such as “Rockstar” and “Can’T Stop Me” were cited as directly inspired by Playboi Carti’s 2020 album Whole Lotta Red, and the stylistic themes also can be heard throughout NGU. Ultimately, NGU 2 builds on the momentum of his growing spotlight, proving that we’ve only seen the beginning of 1MILL.
The album also featured foreign producers and new collaborations with DJ Mike Vegas, Roni, YoungBoyBrown, Cvrloski, Nileswave, and Kinglee Boy.
Tracklist:
- Peewee
- Price Tag
- CHEESE
- Lifestyle
- MAIJING
- Rockstar
- Can’T Stop Me
- กว่าจะมีแดก
- Hercules
- Breathe ft. Lil Gotit
- MAFUCKA ft. Yak Gotti
- What I Been On
- Go Mode
- วายร้าย
Stream the album on Spotify:
(Update: 11/10/2021): 1MILL premiered the music video for the Spatchies-produced “กว่าจะมีแดก” (Before Being Comfortable), yesterday. Watch below:
THE GOAT