Chluy Talk
By Hella Chluy
Chluy TalkOct 31, 2020
Ep 51: Randall Pich Interview
In this episode, I interview Randall Pich. He's the CEO and designer of many brands including the of the most famous lifestyle/action/fitness brand in the world, Live Fit. Apparel. Randall was born and raised in Long Beach, California and the son of Cambodian Refugees. We have a great conversation from start to finish and I'm inspired by his work ethic and mindset. Randall shares his life experiences, his failures, and gives a lot valuable lessons on how to be a successful entrepreneur. He took me on his journey from his career as a personal trainer, dropping out of college to pursue Live Fit Apparel full time as it was gaining popularity. By the time he was 25, he became a self made millionaire. Now he's 33 and shows no sign of slowing down. Live Fit is here to stay as well as Top Threads, Skylab Prints, and everything Randall touches turns to gold. For more info on Randall Pich visit his website at https://www.randall-pich.com/
Ep 50: Thina - OG Kpop Stan #KpopSavedMyLife
In episode 50, I interview Thina better known as OG Kpop Stan on Youtube. Thina is a retired Hip Hop Dancer. She danced for, trained, and performed with 4 different dance teams. Her first dance team who started my "dance life" was with Marvelous Motion (who later became IaMmE, America's Best Dance Crew Season 6 Champions). A lot of her dance training came from Di "Moon" Zhang, Brandon "747" Harrell, Emilio Dosal, SOREAL, and attending many dance classes in Houston and L.A. (from amazing local talent to widely-known talents such as Parris Goebel, Keone Madrid, Kyle Hanagami, Lando Wilkins, Mister Wiggles, Rino Nakasone). Thina and I share a great conversation and touched on a lot of important topics such as her battle with Lupus, dealing with bullying, how K-Pop Saved her life, addressing cultural appropriation in K-Pop and Korean music, the growth of her youtube channel with reaction videos, and many more. Thina and I relate because are representing for our Khmer folks doing what we love on our platform.
Ep 49: Chef Brynn Gibson #hellskitchen #season20 #youngguns
n this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Brynn Gibson. She is a contestant on this season (episode 20) of Hell's Kitchen - Young Guns on Fox with Gordon Ramsey and a cast of young Chefs. Brynn was adopted from a Khmer orphanage at a young age and has Khmer/Vietnamese roots. She was raised in Virginia and move to Rhode Island to attend Johnson & Whales University, a highly ranked Culinary School. We talked about her love for cooking and what made her want to become a chef and a variety of different topics such as dealing with anxiety, the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes, starting her own dumpling business and her journey into Hells Kitchen as a season 20 contestant. Hell's Kitchen - Young Guns was filmed in 2019 and the winner will take home $250,000 and earn a job as an executive chef at one of Gordon Ramsay's many restaurants in Las Vegas. Lets support Brynn by rooting for her on the show and following her on her social media
Ep 48: Chluy Talk Podcast Ep 48: Chef Diane Lam - Best Fried Chicken in Portland Oregon
In episode 48, I interview Chef Diane of Portland Oregon. Diane grew up in Southern California eating her grandmother’s Cambodian cooking, influenced by Chinese, Vietnamese and French styles prior to the Khmer Rouge. With experience in top-tier Michelin starred restaurants such as Statebird Provisions in San Francisco to creating the pop-up, Sunshine Noodles, during a pandemic, Diane’s projects rooted in a sense of constant evolution and adaptation to her community. Prey and Tell is the latest concept that drives Chef Lam’s modern and accessible vision for Cambodian cuisine. Her highly distinctive Cambodian heritage and imaginative California roots is a clear reflection of her unique life story.
Ep 47: Malay Kim #Stuntman
In this episode, I interview Malay Kim. Malay is a Martial Arts Stunt Choreographer, Sag-Aftra Actor, and Film Maker. He played roles in the Iron Fist episode Black Tiger Steals Heart. He was also an assistant fight coordinator in the Iron Fist episodes Under Leaf Pluck Lotus, Immortal Emerges from Cave, Felling Tree with Roots, The Blessing of Many Fractures, The Mistress of All Agonies, Lead Horse Back to Stable, Bar the Big Boss, Dragon Plays with Fire, The Fury of Iron Fist, The City's Not for Burning, This Deadly Secret, Target: Iron Fist, Heart of the Dragon, The Dragon Dies at Dawn, Morning of the Mindstorm, Citadel on the Edge of Vengeance, War Without End and A Duel of Iron, an assistant fight choreographer in the Iron Fist episodes The Fury of Iron Fist, The City's Not for Burning, This Deadly Secret, Target: Iron Fist, Heart of the Dragon, The Dragon Dies at Dawn, Morning of the Mindstorm, Citadel on the Edge of Vengeance, War Without End and A Duel of Iron, a covering stunt coordinator in the Iron Fist episodes Morning of the Mindstorm and Citadel on the Edge of Vengeance, a second unit fight coordinator in the Iron Fist episode The Fury of Iron Fist and a stunt performer in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the Iron Fist episode Eight Diagram Dragon Palm. He was also a stunt double for Sacha Dhawan in the Iron Fist episodes Black Tiger Steals Heart, The Fury of Iron Fist, The City's Not for Burning, This Deadly Secret, Target: Iron Fist, Heart of the Dragon, The Dragon Dies at Dawn, Morning of the Mindstorm, Citadel on the Edge of Vengeance, War Without End and A Duel of Iron. In this episode you'll learn about Malay's humble beginnings, Taekwon-Do Background and how became a part of EMC fight crew. Malay hopes to inspire the next generation to continue leveling up in the Martial Arts and entertainment world.
Ep 46: Leaphy Khim - From the Marines to Hollywood
In this episode, I interview a US Marine Veteran turned Hollywood Actress & Stunt Women, Leaphy Khim. Leaphy was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Cambodian genocide survivors. At a very young age she was taught the importance of her culture, language, and traditions. She was raised to be strong, independent, and self sufficient. Her parents valued education and relentlessly drilled into her head to be the best at anything she wishes to pursue in life. For 8 years, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Her proudest achievement was when she was deployed with a military joint task force in aid of a humanitarian project in Macaracas, Panama. She helped with the construction of multiple classrooms and community centers in a small town outside of Panama City. Today she remained passionate in helping people from all walks of life. She is energetic, highly motivated, and hard working, with a strong commitment to help and empower people to lead a healthy lifestyle. She offers martial arts and basic self defense classes. In addition, Leaphy help military veterans by connecting them with benefits, resources, counseling, and linking them with different community organizations. With her extensive background in fighting and weapons/combat training she practices her craft in Hollywood as an actress and stuntwoman. Disciplines she specializes in include kickboxing, western boxing, Eskrima, and Brazilian Jujitsu. Her most notable role was in “Let It Go” in which she was awarded Best Actress at the GI Film Festival in 2018. Her most current projects include a costar role and stunt work on ABC The Rookie and Grey’s Anatomy. In summary, Leaphy is a strong, dedicated woman with a compassionate side that is not afraid to drop everything and lend a helping hand. In this episode, you'll learn about her military experiences, the challenges she had to overcome, and how she got into Hollywood as a stunt women and actress. Leaphy hopes to inspire the youth and to let them know that nothing is impossible and that dreams do come true, you just gotta shoot your shot!
Ep 45: Terry Oup - Working in the Gambling Industry
In this episode, I catch up with someone dear to me. Terry Oup is a childhood friend of mine. In April, I visited friends and family for Khmer New Year month and during my last couple days, I decided to visit Terry who I haven't seen in over 5 years. We hung out like old times and did some adventurous things in Vancouver Washington like e-scootering a 17 mile trail, did some VR gaming at his house, and I met his baby Angelina for the first time. It was a much needed visit and I was surprised he wanted to do this podcast with me because he's not on social media like that anymore but it was a fun convo and I hope you guys enjoy this episode. It was awesome hearing Terry overcome adversity, from living in a garage, to moving into a house and his experiences and love for working in the gambling industry as a black jack/poker dealer. We talk about how fatherhood changed him for the better and how he met his soul mate via an online streaming app.
Ep 44: Mayly Tao - The Donut Princess
I had the pleasure of interviewing Mayly Tao aka @donutprincessla who is the owner of the world famous @dksdonuts. She was featured on The award winning Donut King Documentary about her great Uncle Ted Ngoy who started the Cambodian Donut boom in California in the early 80s. Mayly Tao is LA’s self-proclaimed Donut Princess, owner of DK’s Donuts & Bakery in Santa Monica, CA and Donut Princess Los Angeles, a donut bouquet delivery concept. She is the host of her podcast Short N’ Sweet. You can find her ”Securing the Box” at @maylytao, @donutprincessla, @dksdonuts, @foodfortheclout. She is very heavily involved in community work, such as completing the building of a temple in Cambodia and creating her new initiative, Lunch boxes for Love, to help feed front line health care professionals in Los Angeles during COVID-19. She is currently a social media marketing consultant, helping others create revenue through social media and branding. Stream the Donut King now on Hulu & Amazon Prime and make sure y’all visit @dksdonuts for some delicious donuts 🍩
Ep 43: Karuna Long - Owner of Oliver's Twist Seattle #cocktails #khmerfood
In this episode, I interview Karuna long. Long is the owner of Oliver's Twist, a hip cocktail bar located in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood. He took over in 2017 after working there or 4 years serving the neighborhood signature cocktails and earned the title of "Seattle's Best Bartender" in 2018. We talked about his humble beginnings coming from Long Beach to moving to Seattle and his love for music. What makes Oliver's Twist extra special is that he and his family decided to add khmer food to their menu and and instantly became a big hit in the neighborhood. The idea came from their family pop ups and it help them get through the pandemic. Also the support from the community has been tremendous as they help reach their gofundme goal to keep Oliver's Twist open during the peak of the pandemic. Karuna hopes to inspire others to keep khmer cuisine alive and push the culture forward, while supporting other small businesses. He believes the more the merrier, when it comes to Khmer food businesses and we are stronger together.
Ep 42: Tracy Guan - Author of "Lunchtime with Samnang"
In this episode, I interview Tracy Guan. Tracy is a Chinese-American author, mom and educator. She is the author of the new children's book Lunchtime with Samnang, which is a vibrant and multigenerational story about her son learning about his Cambodian cultural roots through the love of food and travel. Tracy wrote this book due to the limited representation available in children's literature, especially featuring main characters of Southeast Asian descent. She decided to write this book so that her son could grow up seeing himself in a story that resembles him, his family and his everyday experiences. Tracy has always been captivated by the power of storytelling. Born to hardworking and resilient first-generation immigrant parents, she grew up falling in love with the powerful words and stories that nurtured her household. Tracy is inspired by her family and the multicultural community she serves. When she is not working as a bilingual speech-language pathologist, Tracy enjoys spending time outdoors with her loved ones. Follow her and support her below and stay up to date with new podcast episodes weekly by subscribing and hitting the notification bell. Pre-Order your book now: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/216377384/lunchtime-with-samnang
Ep 41: Chanda Mau
In this episode, I chat with Chanda Mau. She's a Khmer-American Chef/Foodie based in Austin Texas. Chanda is very an upbeat personality and is always bringing people together with food. She often does pop ups in Texas, where she'll cook Khmer egg rolls and sells them to raise funds for various causes. She helped the people affected by the tragic snow storm that battered the state. On Sunday, May 23rd she will be helping with another pop up with Austin Pets Alive which helps people adopt dogs. She will be serving Cambodian Glass noodles with pork so if you would like to donate to the cause you can do via Venmo: chanda-mau. She hopes to one day make her very own cook book and help spread Khmer Cuisine to the masses.
Ep 40: Mz Rada Darling #Vh1CouplesRetreat
In this episode, I interview Mz Rada Darling of Phoenix AZ. She was born in Cambodia and grew up in Long Beach, California. Rada talks about her challenges early on in her life and dealing with divorce. We chat about the struggles of growing up Khmer in America, her favorite Khmer foods, her love life, her real estate career, and more recently her role in Vh1's - Couple's retreat where her boyfriend and famous Comedian, Michael Blackson go on a retreat to take part in honest and uncensored conversations about how the celebrity factor can challenge a relationship, the importance of communication and the pain of heartache. The show will also dive into social issues including mental health, racial injustice and prison reform. It was really cool to sit down and learn more about Rada and talk openly about what most people are uncomfortable talking about. Make sure ya'll follow Rada on Social media and watch her on Vh1's Couples Retreat.
Ep 39: Chantha Thach
Ep 38: Mo & Naran Tan of Phnom Penh Noodle Shack #Longbeach #CambodiaTown
Ep 37: Sophia Kao
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sophia Kao. Sophia is Cambodian singer/songwriter from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She's a rising star at Baramey Production, a power house record label and premium talent management agency with an all-star roster that includes artist such as Laura Mam, Vannda, Khmeng Khmer, Songha, Polarix, and RXTHY. I learned a lot of Sophia and I'm impressed not only her knowledge of music, but also her understanding of how to be successful in the music industry and how important it is to have a solid team behind you. I told her how much I loved her single "Time" which features Vannda who is making a name for himself as one of Cambodia's top artist. Time, has reached over 1M views in just a little over a week and hit the the #3 spot on the iTunes top 100 Chart in Cambodia. The #1 spot also belongs to the Baramey Crew, which made history in Cambodia as the 1st Music video to hit 1M views in less then 24 hrs. The historical smash hit "Time To Rise" made noise worldwide with hundreds of youtube reaction videos, and more recently a feature by HipHopDX Asia. What made this collaboration epic was that it featured Master Kong Nay on the Chapey (khmer traditional instrument) and he was singing back and forth with Vannda. It was the perfect combination of the old & new generation. It makes me proud and the rest of us watching & so happy to see that there are no rules to making great music and you can Rap with meaningful lyrics alongside "Ah Yie" and Chapey music. This interview was fun but also short and sweet. It's only a matter of "Time" where Sophia Kao & the entire Baramey Crew will be household names internationally. I am here for it! Watch or listen to full interview to learn more about Sophia and what her plans are.
Ep 36: Sopheak Art
EP 35: The Laura Mam Interview
In this episode, we celebrate Women's History Month with one of the most influential Khmer Women in Cambodia's music & dance scene. Her name is Laura Mam and she is a Khmer American singer, songwriter, music producer, and businesswoman. She is known as one of the pioneers of “Khmer Original Music Movement” and is the founder and CEO of Baramey Productions. Laura was born in 1986 in San Jose, California to Cambodian Refugee parents. She was the oldest of 2 siblings and attended UC Berkley. Her mother & father both were singers, and her little sister played guitar so music runs in her family. Not just music, her brother Andrew was a professional dancer who had a 5 year stint with the world famous b-boy crew, Jabbawockeez. In 2018, Laura won an arts and Culture prize from the Women of the Future Awards South East Asia. Laura & I had a great conversation and we talked about important topics such as creating original music, reading business contracts, building a solid team with the same drive and focus, collaborating with artists locally and internationally while maintaining dignity, staying safe during the pandemic, and we also shared our thoughts on the anti-asian hate thats going on here in America. We hope you guys enjoy the episode and please watch/listen to this interview in its entirety because Laura drops so many valuable information, pro-tips, and gems that will help those who may need to hear it, the youth, the next generation and to show you that dreams do come true if you work hard and don't give up.
Ep 34: Chhaya Chhoum - Executive Director of Mekong NYC
Ep 34 features a special guest from Fordham Bronx: Chhaya Chhoum, an inspiring leader, activist, community organizer, mother and executive director at @mekongnyc_ Mekong NYC. We have an important conversation about issues in our community such as anti blackness, anti Asian violence, social justice, fighting deportation, accountability, collective healing and more.
About Mekong NYC
Mekong aims to improve the quality of life of the Southeast Asian community in the Bronx and throughout New York City by achieving equity through community organizing and healing, promoting arts, culture, and language, and creating a safety net by improving access to essential social services. The Southeast Asian community in the Bronx primarily consists of Cambodian Americans and Vietnamese Americans.
Mekong is where history and culture are valued and learned, where history and culture are living, where people’s needs are met, where people are united through struggle, and where the people feel liberated.
#chhayachhoum #mekongnyc #fordham #bronx #nyc #hellachluy #chluytalkpodcast #stopasianhate #civilrightsmovement #immigration #leadership #activism #khmer #vietnamese #lgbtq #womenempowerment #womenshistorymonth
Ep 33: The Khmer1Jivit Interview
EP 32: Chef Mona Sang - Bringing Khmer Food to Chicago
In this episode, I interview Mona Sang of Chicago. She is a Cambodian Chef who started her catering company, specializing in Khmer cuisine to serve the Chicago community at he start of the pandemic last year. We shared a deep conversation about her family history and what it was like growing up in Chicago in the late 80s. Mona has worked professionally as a chef in the Chicago area for the past 6 years. She is originally from Cambodia, but came to the United States with her mother and her sister and two brothers as a child. They survived the Khmer Rouge genocide and made a new life in the city of Chicago. Her mother supported her family by working as a private caterer to their local community. Mona credits her mother with the unique taste she has developed in bringing Cambodian cuisine and culture to the United States. After graduating from college, Mona built a family of her own, and then started her career in the food industry with Lettuce Entertain You. Now she is bringing all her experiences forward to launch Mona Bella catering and introduce her unique flavor to the world.
EP 31: Stuart Isett, Silong Chhun & Pete Pin: On the Corners of Argyle and Glenwood
In this episode, I have a conversation with the author & collaborators of a newly released book titled "On the corners of Argyle and Glenwood which documents Khmer Refugees living in Uptown Chicago in the early 90s. As a young graduate student in photography in the early 1990s. Stuart Isett found himself on the corners of Argyle and Glenwood streets in Chicago, photographing Cambodian refugees who had settled on the city’s north side near his apartment. Isett entered a world which would define his practice, spending much of the next 25 years working in South East Asia, often returning to work on issues affecting the Cambodian diaspora. Nearly 30 years later, in collaboration with Cambodian-American activist Silong Chhun and Pete Pin, a Cambodian-American photographer, Isett revisited the Chicago work. Together they re-sequenced and contextualised the series. Chhun and Pin would have been the young boys in the back of the room in many of Isett’s images, watching their older siblings who were Isett’s main focus, as they struggled to adapt to life in America while burdened with the trauma of war and genocide. Sequenced by Pin, with words from Chhun, this book explores the complexities of the early diaspora, not only the streets but also the tender moments of a community in transition, held together by family (“krousar”) and tradition. Source & book purchase link: https://www.catfish.asia/books/on-the-corners-of-argyle-and-glenwood
Ep 30: Sean Radiant Son
In this episode, I speak to my friend Sean Radiant Son from Philadelphia. Sean is a first generation Khmer immigrant who's family settled in Camden NJ in the early 80s. They then moved to Philly where were a lot of khmer refugees settled. I met Sean through a colleague of mine a few years ago he's always smiling and had a good attitude and that "go getter" mind set. After going from retail job to retail job, Sean shares his story about seeing a facebook post about a real estate gig, and he responded to it. That decision changed his life because he then met his real estate coach and mentor and the rest was history. One day Sean got fired from his 9-5 job at Timberland then decided do real estate full time. On his birthday, he spent $2K on a real estate education course that changed his life forever. I admire Sean for that because he bet on himself and won. Investing in yourself and investing in the knowledge is priceless and Sean made his money back and more with his first closing earning $10K in his first 3 months. Now, Sean closes deals on the regular and he purchased his first home, moving his family out the ghetto. I love the person Sean is, he's always positive, always smiling, and has the mindset to succeed in life. We hope this episode inspires and motivate others that anything is achievable if you put in the work and invest in your craft and never quit.
Ep 29: Loeun Lun - 20 Years After Deportation
In this episode, I interview Loeun Lun, a deportee/returnee from Tacoma Washington. I remembered seeing the PBS documentary, “Sentenced Home” in 2006 and I recently noticed that Loeun has a YouTube channel where he shares his experiences living in Cambodia as well as interviewing other deportees and former gang members. I ended up binge watching his videos and I had to reach out to him to see what he’s been up to and to see how I can help spread awareness on immigration issues and build that relationship with him and other deportees who were ripped from their families for past crimes that they did their time for. Loeun was only 17 when he had the gun charge which was changed to wreckless endangerment where he already paid his debt to society by serving a full year in Tacoma County Jail. It was good to connect and share a conversation with Loeun and I'm happy that he's in good spirits and living his life day by day. My goal is see his channel grow so he can keep providing content for other deportees or people who are on the waiting list to have something to watch and to have someone like Loeun to reach out to. Please support Loeun's Youtube Channel by subscribing at the link below and donate directly to his cashapp: $sentencedHome
EP 28: Rosie Khun - Forgiving My Father's Killer
In this episode, I interview Rose Khun of Eureka California. Rose is a daughter of Khmer Immigrants who settled in Modesto California in the early 80s. She shared a heart felt story about her Father's murder in San Jose by a Khmer Gang during a robbery of their family owned VHS store. There are so much emotions in this episode and I am thankful Rose was able to share it with all of us. Rose, explained why she decided to forgive her fathers killer and even wrote a letter to him telling him that she has forgiven him. It takes a takes a lot of strength and courage to do what Rose is doing and she's even fighting to get "Bob," her father's killer out of prison because she feels that he's a changed man and wants to make amends with her father and her family. Currently, Rose is a Holistic Nutritionist and continues to teach about the mind, body, and soul to her clients. She also plans on starting her own podcast and she has my full support. We hope you guys enjoy this episode and we hope it inspires you to learn how to develop a forgiving mind through empathy.
Ep 27: The Khmer Kid Interview
In this special episode. I reconnect with an old friend and Khmer Hip Hop legend, Khmer Kid. We talked about his humble beginnings and what is was like growing up in Chicago in the early 90s. He was born in 1984 at Khao-I-Dang refugee camp and was named after it. Soon after, his family immigrated to the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Khao's story is very interesting because I've learned so much about him that I never knew before. He shared so many experiences in his life that made him the man he is today. He developed a passion for making music at the age of 15 and credits Willy for inspiring him to rap in Khmer. Willy, was the first person we both heard at the time rap in our native tongue. His song "Khmer Pride" was recorded and released in 1996 and somehow circulated nationwide. Immediately, Khao started to write and rap in Khmer and his first recording studio was his sister's computer and a recording software called Cool Edit Pro. Having close friends who supported his music and one of them gave him the name "Khmer Kid" and the rest was history. His first song ever recorded was "Represent Khmer Pride for the 99" and that same year he recorded his instant classic "Smoke Weed" during Khmer New Year while everyone was a the temple. He did expect it to go viral in the era of dial up internet. I remember seeing the song on P2P softwares like Limewire, Kazaa, and Napster. Currently "Smoke Weed," has over 4.3M views on youtube from a random fan who uploaded it. Khmer Kid just now re-released the song on all streaming platforms because someone uploaded the song and pretended to be him on reverb nation which caused a lot of frustration for him because was unable to claim the songs at the time. Aside from the music, Khmer Kid had a run in with the law where he had to do prison time. His prison experiences are surprisingly positive because he was well respected, he kept it real with everyone and was drawing artwork for inmates and got along with everyone. He kept writing lyrics, had a spiritual awakening, read the bible, and got released early for good behavior. Long story short, Khmer Kid is revamping his independent record label Khmer Entertainment Records and has signed his first artist, Young Spyder of Cambodia. We plan on collaborating together so be on the look out for new music and visuals!
Ep 25: Hannah of The Sarong Company
In this episode, I interview Hannah from Atlanta. Hannah is a Khmer American small business owner who started her own online Southeast Asian sarong comfort wear store, The Sarong Company. After getting laid off from her job in the beginning of the pandemic, Hannah decided to learn how to sew scrunchies out of the Khmer Sarong fabric and she posted them on her Instagram where it drew interest from potential buyers. From then on, she started selling sarong of various colors and designs and more recently she added jade pendants and necklaces. I enjoyed speaking with Hannah and I really admire her motivation, drive, and positive attitude towards life, the daily hustle, and her love for her daughter. Hannah and the Sarong company have my full support and I think Sarongs are important piece of our culture and for it be available online to purchase is a beautiful thing, not just for Khmer people but for everyone to wear in the comfort of their home or anywhere they please. Please give the Sarong Company a follow and purchase some merchandise at https://thesarongco.com/
Ep 24: Lada Beatz
In this episode, I interview my childhood friend Lada Beatz who is also the youngest brother of AP Muzzika that interviewed in episode 20. I wanted to speak with Lada because I wanted to personally thank him for his contribution to my music as promote him on my platform. Even though we grew up together, he was a lot younger, so I really hung out with older brothers more. We talked about how I found out that he produced beats out of no where, and how I wanted to work him one day. Well the day came in 2019 and we released a full 5 song EP, 4 songs of which he produced and it was a success. Lola Lola has over 200K Youtube streams and became reaction videos for youtubers in Cambodia. We also talked about our musical influences and favorite producers what are long term goals are in music and in life. I hope you guys enjoy this episode and have some good takeaways from it. Lada Beatz is one of my favorite producers I've worked with and I pray he makes it to the top! All his links below, so make sure you follow him and support him by checking out his beats and purchasing and or leasing it for your next project. Fun Fact: Lada served in the U.S. Army as a 13F Forward Observer from January 18, 2005 to May 30, 2009
EP 23: G Funk Supreme
Kicking off the New Year with a solid interview of Long Beach's premiere Hip Hop artist, G Funk Supreme. We talked about what it was like growing up in Eastside Long Beach, California, musical influences, his love for poetry and how he began rapping in middle school. Gfunk Supreme has been putting in the work for many years and its been paying off. He released a few albums and singles, accompanied with quality music videos. What I admire about G Funk is that, is a go getter, self taught audio engineer and is now shooting and editing his own music videos. He takes his crafts seriously and continues to level up with each project. Currently, G Funk has a new album that he plans on releasing soon and its definitely something to look forward to this year.
EP 22: Randy Kim
For the final Chluy Talk Podcast episode of 2020, I interview a fellow Podcaster, Randy Kim of Chicago. He gave my first podcast interview earlier in the year so it was fitting for me to have him on my show. We talked about his background, growing up in Illinois and and how he started his Banh Mi Chronicles podcast. Randy is currently a board member of the National Heritage Museum in Chicago and has been connecting with community leaders on to discuss important issues that AAPI folks face everyday.
Ep 21: Bella Moon
Ep 20: AP Muzzika
This episode is special to me because this man taught me how to record, mix, and engineer my own music early on in my musical journey. Alin Pech, also known as AP Muzzika is a singer, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer from a small town called Toutle, Washington. Its 2 hrs south of Seattle and 1 hr from Portland. AP and I have a long history, and we shared a lot of laughs from our childhood, our biggest musical influences, how picking berries at a young age taught us the "hustle" and how to work hard everyday. AP Muzzika makes great r&b music and I hope you guys stream his songs on all major platforms and expect more music for 2021 and beyond.
Ep 19: Debbie Sath
In this episode, I interview Debbie Sath. She's a Khmer-Australian model, actress, producer, and Tik Tok star. Debbie and I have been social media buddies for a quite some time. We talked about her humble beginnings. Born and raised in Australia, Debbie is the 2nd oldest of 7 siblings. She started her modeling career in 2009 and was a Cover model for Import Tuner, Super Street, Performance Auto and Sound and Live to Ride magazines who has also been featured in editorials for Zoo, Ralph and several other publications. Complex magazine ranked her as among the 25 Hottest Import Models on Instagram in 2013. Debbie moved to Hollywood 3 years ago and has been taking over social media by storm. She has 139K followers on instgram and more recently, grew her favorite platform, Tik Tok to 163K followers. Debbie also has a couple short films under her belt that has won awards and her ultimate goal is to film, produce, direct, and and star on the big screen. She is definitely going places and I'm rooting for her.
Ep 17: Prenz Sa-Ngoun - Life After Monk Hood
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Prenz Sa-Ngoun about his journey as a Buddhist monk. Born and raised in Seattle, Prenz had a normal childhood up until after middle school. He made a life changing decision and a very young age where he moved to Cambodia at 12 years old, and ordained as a Khmer Buddhist Monk when he turned 13. From then on, his religious journey began in the motherland. After a couple years, he moved back to South Seattle in a neighborhood called Tukwila. His new home was Watt Pothiram in South Park and he continued to be a monk until August of 2019 at the age of 21, where he decided to Derobe and become a civilian. Prenz continues to serve the community buy hosting virtual meditation events and still teaches Buddhism to those who are interested in learning or brushing up on their culture. It was interesting to learn more him in this interview and his experiences in Monk hood. Currently, he works at a local food bank and enjoys serving the community in that way as well as running his online Khmer arts and memorabilia store, PSA Khmer.
EP 16: Savannahry Em
In this episode, I chat with Savannahry Em. A Khmer American MMA fighter who was born in Long Beach California. Sovahnnary was raised by her mother and helped take care of her younger siblings. We talked about her fascination for Martial Arts growing up, watching Kung Fu movies, and Bruce Lee. She was introduced to a local boxing gym by her friend when she was 20 years old and the rest was history. She developed a love for mixed martial arts and began training for fun until her coaches noticed her potential to be great. They convinced her to try competing in competitions where she dominated, winning her first 2 fights via knock out in under 2 mins. This led to her professional MMA career and currently her goal is to become a One Champion, but more importantly she wants to use her platform to inspire young women to be sweet but savage.
Watch Full Video Interview: https://youtu.be/lLCW2Vqpe8U
Ep 14: Ghost Talk with Sareth Ney (Halloween Episode)
In this episode, I had my guest Sareth Ney share some ghost stories. Sareth Ney is a first generation Cambodian-American, award winning short filmmaker, content creator, fashion designer, festival director, journalist/superhero, philanthropist, and stand-up comedian. I also share some stories about my past sleep paralysis experiences as a youth and the one time I was possessed by 2 spirits at once. We hope you enjoy this episode and wish everybody a Happy Halloween.
Ep 13: Rob "Southstar" Campman - Exclusive Interview
In this episode, I catchup and interview my long time friend and Hip Hop legend, Rob "Southstar" Campman. If you're my age, you will definitely remember him from the smash single "Tell Me" from his group Smiles and Southstar. The single peaked at #28 on the Billboards hot 100 and #10 on the US Hot Rap songs (Billboards) in 2003. Rob and I talked about how met on Aznraps.com which was a popular online forum for Asian rappers in the early to mid 2000s. From then on, we kept in contact via Aim (Aol) and social media. I had a lot of questions regarding the music industry and his rise to fame and Rob answered them all. He shared so many great stories from his humble beginnings, from rapping in the bathroom & getting invited to a local studio to record some raps, to playing basketball in a gym, which let to meeting Transcon Records in house producer, Dakari. Dakari played beats for him and invited him to Transcon studios and the rest was history. Smiles and Southstar got signed to Artist Direct Records and released their debut album, "Crash The Party," and made noise all over the world, touring with Beanie Man, doing shows and tv appearances on MTV, BET's Rap City, Soul Train, Late night with Conan, Jimmy Kimmel, The Jennie Jones show, just to name a few. Currenly, Rob has been doing podcast style Instagram lives weekly on Wednesday. His show is called "Conversations" and he has lots of great music industry guests who share their story and life advice on the platform. Make sure you check him out and support his new endeavor! There are so much gems in this interview so I hope you guys watch it from beginning to end as its very inspirational and informative, especially if you have a passion for music or just dream in general.
Wikipedia Bio: Smilez & Southstar was a hip-hop duo based in Orlando, Florida. The group was made up of Rodney "Smilez" Bailey and Rob "Southstar" Campman. They are best known for their hit single "Tell Me".[1][2] Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilez_%26_Southstar
Smilez & Southstar: Crash the Party is the only studio album by American hip hop duo Smilez & Southstar. It was released on July 23, 2002 via Artistdirect. Production was handled primarily by Dakari, with one track produced by DJ Nasty & LVM. The album debuted peaked at number 91 on the Billboard 200 and at number 24 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_the_Party
Ep 12: Get to Know Michelle
In episode 12, I chat and catch up with my good friend Michelle Hak of Portland Oregon. Some of you may recognize her from my "Dime" music we released earlier this year. Michelle works in healthcare and during the pandemic, she wanted to start a side hustle doing what she loves, which is eyebrows. So she's been doing it for a few months now and doing pretty well for herself and I just wanted to have a conversation with her about whats going on in her life as learn more about her on a personal level. If anyone, needs their eye brows done in Portland area, make sure you hit up Michelle at Archemy Brows.
Ep 11: Super Duper OG - Youtube & Beer
Episode 11 of Chluy Talk Podcast is different and fun but also as a disclaimer: We are not promoting alcohol abuse, and this video is for a mature audience. Please do not try any of the beer challenges at home. Quick story of how Super Duper OG and I made contact: So early on when I started my podcast, I did a live stream on my Youtube to ask my followers who wants to be on my podcast, and he reached out to me. I then, checked out his channel and saw that he runs a beer drinking channel and he's growing pretty rapidly so the rest was history. I picked Super Duper Og's brain on his quick rise on youtube and what gear he uses as far as equipment goes (mics, lighting, camera, etc) and we have some things in common like we both do everything ourself from the filming, video and audio editing, to the comedy skits. Also, he spoke about how he manages to work a regular job and only does drinking videos on the weekends, and how he's able to maintain his health. He only drinks beer, and quit hard liquor for a few years now. What I liked about this episode is that I learned some valuable things regarding how to grow on youtube by consistently releasing videos and fan engagement Youtube live streaming, as well doing Giveaways. So hopefully, some of you guys can get inspired to start a channel in 2020 and beyond, it doesn't even have to be any crazy challenges. Just find your niche and execute. Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/w_2bLtsdjPI
Ep 10: Tharoth Sam Oum - Little Frog
In episode 10 of Chluy Talk Podcast, I interview my good friend Tharoth Sam Oum of Cambodia. Tharoth is a martial arts fighter, specializing in the ancient art of Bokator. She is also the first Khmer female MMA fighter and it was really good to sit down and here her story. I've had a lot of questions specifically about the differences between Bokator, Pradal Serey, and Kun Khmer. She was able to answer it and also give me a better understanding of our culture and combat art. We talk about so much and I hope this episode inspires other young individuals to pursue their dream no matter what it is. Just persevere, and put in the time and work and you'll eventually get there. Listen to full episode to hear about her accomplishments as well as her experience working with Angelina Jolie in the netflix film, "First They Killed My Father," and as well as playing a starring role in the Martial Arts action film, "Jailbreak" Both films can be watched right now on Netflix. Tharoth also played a major role in the "Surviving Bokator" documentary and thats actually how we met, when she came to Philly to promote the film.
Ep 9: Narinden Lay - Portland Oregon's Realtor and My Best Friend
In this episode, I interview my best friend since childhood. His name is Narinden Lay and he's 36 years old. He's currently is in the Real Estate profession and this year alone, Narinden has 4.9M in Sales volume. We talk about how Portland, Oregon's real estate market was able to thrive during a pandemic. Aside from real estate, this episode is more like regular conversation with my buddy, we shared so many funny, crazy, sad, and happy stories from growing up in a small town called Longview-Kelso, Washington, to picking berries to earn school clothes, as well as Robam dancing (traditional Khmer Dance), and our most memorable time doing Taekwon-Do together. Narinden and I, have so much common and it was so fun to catch up with him and just hearing him talk about his work ethic is, admirable to me. I'm very proud of him and I hope you guys can get inspired or get some positives out of this episode.
Ep 8: Chhinda Som - The Khmer Naomi Osaka
Ep 7: Cambo Vlogs - The Khmer Speaking Expat
Pat Moriarity is an expat vlogger and youtuber living in Cambodia. His family first moved to Cambodia in 1996 as missionaries. After finishing school back in the U.S. He decided to move back to Cambodia and start a life there. He married his wife Mey in January of 2019 and began to incorporate the khmer language in his vlogs. In this episode we talk about how we discovered each other on youtube. We discuss the pros & cons and being a youtuber and what its like to live in Cambodia, coming from America, Maine to be exact. We hope you enjoy this episode and please make sure you follow Cambo Vlogs to see his day to day life in Cambodia. So many gems in this episode and we hope it inspires anyone who may want to become a youtuber or vlogger or just anyone who has a goal in life. It's all about just doing it, rather then just talking about it.
Subscribe to Cambo Vlogs on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS-x_qiuDaQ0C6TWIwyjpYg
Ep 6: Jannie Lam - The Master Chef Beauty Queen
Watch Video Episode here: youtu.be/ratpjC9_9VA
Ep 5: Cashinova - The High Speed Interview
Cashinova is a Khmer-American Hip Hop artist from St Paul Minnesota. I have been following his musical journey since the "Myspace" days and watched him grow into one of the hottest artist out right now. In this episode, I got a chance to learn about his story, his creative process, and getting to know him on a personal level. He takes his craft seriously and he's all about the music and taking care of his family. Make sure ya'll follow him on all social media links below as well as stream all his music. #HighSpeedCash album on the way so be be on the look out for that!
Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/tprJ1Nt0_o4
Ep 4: Aprilynn - Your Psoria Sis
August is Psoriasis Awareness month and who better to have on @chluytalkpodcast this week then @aprilynn.an she is a Psoriasis Advocate who lives in Seattle and has been using her platform to help other women feel beautiful and sexy with psoriasis. April shares some great information on psoriasis and how she uses natural remedies to treat them. She also gets personal about running away from her family as a teen and how she overcame so many struggles in life. This episode is deep, emotional, as well as crazy and fun. Please watch or listen in full, especially if you suffer from Psoriasis or eczema. This episode is for you, and we hope it inspires you to be positive about your body and be proud of who you are.
Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/Q1eKmmGsYfE
Ep 3: Ravy Chan - Women In Medicine
This is a very special episode with Ravy Chan from the Bronx, NY. She is a healthcare provider working hard and saving lives during a pandemic where New York City, was once the epicenter. We conversed about life growing up as Cambodian American, what it was like growing up in the Bronx, dealing with bullying and racism in school. In addition, we discussed balancing family life, mommy life, foodie life, medicine life, and much much more. Listen to full episode for a great conversation, very informative healthcare tips, and inspirational for anyone who needs to hear Ravy's Story. She is a super mom and great role model to young women wanting to pursue medicine as a career.
Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/s8BX-GwESeg
Ep 2: Battambong Bob - The King of Prahok
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Chad Phuong, better known as Battambong Bob of Cambodian Cuisine. We talk about him growing up in Long Beach, California "Cambodia Town" and how he got into cooking authentic Khmer Food. Chad was the trail blazer of online shipping and sales of Prahok sauces, Beef Jerky, Tvako (Khmer Sausages), pickled plums, Kroeung sauces, you name it. 10 years in the game and he is also a man of many hats. Listen to the full episode to appreciate who he is as a man, an entrepreneur, a father, a community leader, and just an overall good person.
Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/DB4XvL-1a9Y
EP 1: JL Jupiter - The Hip Hop Anthony Bourdain
In this first episode, it was only right to interview my day 1 JL Jupiter who helped me with my Youtube career with the music videos, comedy skits, and collaborations. Now, he has become one of the top food vlogger in the Tri-state with over 80K subscribers in less than a year. We talk about struggle growing up as an immigrant, overcoming adversity, Racism, Anti-blackness within our community, The Khmer Stereo type and much more! We hope to inspire the next generation to push the culture forward and just be good human beings.
Watch video episode here: https://youtu.be/Tvl-vjyPPWY