Interview With Dough Boy From Golden Triangle

While leisurely scanning through the rapper’s database on Alivenotdead.com, I fatefully landed on Doughboy’s profile, a Singaporean Rapper who is also chronicled as the “The Little Skinny Dude”.

Doughboy (Galaxy Ho) started out as the youngest rapper from Golden Triangle Records (Singapore) where he recorded for a South-East Asian Hip Hop Compilation, and also an unreleased solo EP with 2 self-produced tracks.

After relocating to Hong Kong, he continued his career rapping and producing a string of infectious beats. The kid managed to link up local beatboxer, INK on several commercially used tracks including one for RTHK online radio station, TeenMusik.

Now, let’s get up-close and see what’s happening inside his schedule.

1. What is the start-up story behind your pursuit as an artist?

I started out being a fan of rap music because of its detailed lyrical content. I thought it was a very good artform for me to voice out my thoughts besides writing stories and painting pictures in school. But I never thought about pursuing my dreams as a rapper because it seemed impossible for me being an 11yr old Hong Kong kid living in Singapore at the time. But with the success of groups like Too Phat from Malaysia and LMF from HK, it gave me a bit of hope and i decided to be serious with music ever since.

2. Describe your music, what is it like? What are three words that best define it?

My music is like my journal. From the beats i make to the rhymes i write to the way i recite those rhymes, its all in the purest form of my thoughts and emotions. 3 words, hmmm. “The real me”.

3. What is your definition of success, and how much of it do you think you’ve achieved?

Success for me is having people that love, understand and relate to my music. I’m far from being anything successful. But I do have a lot of people digging my beats these days and i have other musicians telling me that they are feeling what I’m saying in my songs.

Well of course I’ve have received a lot of not-so-good comments as well. I take it as a part of success too. Because at least I have them listening to my music and teaching me lessons which help me improve.

4. What are some recent achievements you’re proud of and would like to share?

Rocking the beach party at Redang Island, Malaysia. It was great! A beautiful place, lots of beautiful people and a lot of good music.

5. What’s something that’s always running inside your mind lately?

My future. My Girlfriend. My lovely parents.

6. What would you spend you a million dollars on?

A new house for my family and a trip around the world.

7. What’s one incident that would serve as a turning point to your life?

Moving back to Hong Kong about 2yrs ago. Had to adapt to the environment start from scratch again.

8. What three pieces of advice would you give to others when it comes to life and business?

1.Don’t make decisions when you’re in fear.
2.Don’t think about harming anyone, but don’t think that everyone else is thinking the same way.
3.Yeah some say life is a gamble, but remember to play the cards and not the money.

9. What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

Quitting school twice in less than 3 months. Losing some important friends. What I’ve learned from these 2 failures is from advice no.2 in the previous question.

10. What’s a typical day in your life like?

Waking up around 11am-12noon, going to school for a short while, hang out with a few close friends and have chats about life, picking my girlfriend up from work, have dinner with her, go back home, chat with my parents, make beats, chat on msn, shop my beats around to other rappers and go to bed around 3 to 4am.

11. What’s one of the highlighting moment in your career? Why is it so?

Still the beach party at Redang Island. It was paradise.

12. What stops you from throwing in the towel and giving up during those frustrating days of being in this industry?

Everything from the dying music industry to my future is stopping me from pursuing my dreams. But it is the urge to express my thoughts and my love for the music that kept me going on.

13. Biggest risk ever taken?

Bringing weed on a plane.

14. Who has influenced you most and been your greatest inspiration?

Jay-Z.

15. How do you go about marketing your business or yourself? What has been your most successful form of marketing?

I’m far from a businessman. I just put up music and updates on my myspace page. My most successful form of marketing is being true to my craft. Because that was what people see from me and decide to give me opportunities.

16. In three words, characterize who you are.

Lost, lazy, calm.

17. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?

No particular company. I admire those businesses that are low on budget but different from the rest and make the most money compared to its peers. e.g. The only drink store in a school canteen.

18. How do you achieve balance in your life?

Observing the people around, being alone and reflecting on things.

19. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

Hmmm, 5yrs: Graduated with a degree and happy that I’m finally free from the education system.
10yrs: Married with kids.

20. What’s the first thing you would say to the world if all attention was on you?

Thank You!

For further updates, check out DoughBoy’s Myspace Page at http://www.myspace.com/galaxygtr

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