Prinya Intrachai: Success All the “Way”

Prinya Intrachai.

The name may not be very familiar with people here in the U.S., but it has become one of the many household names in his home country of Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia. Prinya, otherwise known as Way, is one third of the famous Thai-American hip-hop group, Thaitanium. The hip-hop trio has been credited as being one of the few who have helped bring hip-hop to the Thai music scene. And, their efforts have greatly paid off with Thaitanium gaining increasing popularity over the years both in Thailand and abroad.

However, for Way, becoming a rapper was never his game plan, stating that he “really wasn’t” interested in it. He saw singing and rapping as something fun to do, but was more interested in acting. Ironically, what was just considered a hobby to him turned into a very lucrative career later.

Way, 27, moved to Thailand from his native New York when he was only 16 and began his career as a recording artist in Thailand. He became part of a Thai boy band and was working under the same music label as Khangnern Nuannual, otherwise known as Khan and the other member of Thaitanium. Khan was also, at the time, a pop recording artist. Because of their mutual interest in hip-hop (and having lived in the same apartment complex), Khan and Way became easily acquainted with each other.

“Hip-hop at that time in Bangkok was not big,” Way recalls. “So, if you were into it, you pretty much knew everyone. That’s how I became friends with Khan. We both were doing stuff (pop) that we didn’t really like, but in our free time we would do hip-hop in Khan’s studio.”

When Way was 17, the boy band he was in had disintegrated after their pop album came out – “ an incident that was both a major relief and the beginning of something more enticing for the U.S. born hip-hop artist. Way was then cast for a Thai film, 303, which he recalls as being “one of the best experiences of [his] life,” helping him become more interested in pursuing acting back in New York.

“At that time I couldn’t speak Thai all that fluently, so I decided to pursue acting back in New York,” Way says. “English is my native tongue and I don’t speak it with an accent, so I told myself “Why not? What do I have to lose?”’

“I started taking acting classes at the studio for working actors called Black Nexxus in the city. I went for castings and auditions, [received] a million no’s and a handful of yes’s… . then the music popped off first.”

And, “popped” off it did. Or, more like exploded.

In 2000, when Way moved back to New York, Khan had done the same. It was there that Way met Khan’s close friend, Nay Myo Thant (otherwise known as Day). Day and Khan previously had lived in San Francisco, growing up together and attending the same high school. After high school, Khan had moved back to Bangkok and Day had moved to the East coast.

And, in that same year, Thaitanium was formed and released its first album entitled AA. To date they have released five studio albums, with a new album soon to be released sometime this year, increasing the count to six. In addition, they have released numerous mixtapes and have been featured on the soundtrack to the Thai film, Province 77, which focused on the lives of Thai people living in Los Angeles. They were featured on “Dangerous,” a single off Tata Young’s 2005 “Dangerous Tata” album. In 2006, they performed with Simon Webbe at the 2006 MTV Asia Music Awards and opened up for Fort Minor and 50 Cent that same year at Aktiv Square, Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok. In 2007, they were featured on the track, “LOVE ME, HATE THE GAME.” The track was off the album, Cosmicolor, the 2007 studio album of m-flo, a famous Japanese hip-hop music group in Japan.

Now, eight years later since Thaitanium’s first release, things are still going strong for the group and many opportunities have become available for the entire group, leading to involvement in ventures aside from music.

Like Khan and his clothing line, “9Face,” Way has also started his own clothing line called “NEVER SAY.”

“I spend a lot of money on clothing each year, putting money in other people’s pockets,” Way says. I figured I’d get some of that back, so I started “NEVER SAY” with my two boys, Buddhah (Thaitanium’s DJ) and my other boy, Never.”

“We design all our t-shirts ourselves. I’m very hands on with the process. Basically, it’s whatever we feel at the time and what we would like to see on the shirts themselves. The three of us have very different styles, but it somehow clicks between us. [And,] it’ll soon be available in the U.S. where you can order it at www.neversay.com real soon.”

And, while Way isn’t planning things for “NEVER SAY,” he’s still pursuing his acting career. According to Way’s personal Myspace page, he recently shot a short film with Thai director, Wych Kaosayananda (a.ka., Kaos). Kaosayananda is credited as the film director of the 2002 movie, Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, which featured Lucy Liu and Antonio Banderas. In the movie, Way stars alongside famous Thai model and actress, Sonya “Pim” Cooling.

And, to top it off, Way is currently working on his solo album, MONEY EXCHANGE, which, again, according to Way’s Myspace webpage, will be released sometime soon.

However, what makes Way – “ along with Khan and Day – “ different from most Asian and Asian-American recording artists is being able to experience the best of both worlds: American and Asian culture. As Way states, New York will always be his home – “ and the place where his creativity flourishes the most for him.

“I love New York!” Way says. “It’s my home… but Bangkok is cool for work. I like how I can be in Thailand and work, but then when I get back to New York, I just chill. If I work in New York, you know I’m creating, not really out everyday promoting, touring, etc. It’s just something about the city that inspires me to be creative. Plus, my family is here in the states so I consider it my home… . Most definitely though, I’ll be between both places for the rest of my life – “ it’s a cool balance. [If] I get bored of one place,[I] just hop on a plane and head for the other.”

Between touring with Thaitanium, acting, making music, and working on his clothing brand, and jetting between Bangkok and New York, Way works endlessly with great love and passion. However, no matter how much he works, he never has considered what he does as “work.”

“I’m doing things that I’ve dreamt of doing since I was a kid,” Way says. “I feel really blessed to be doing what I want to be doing and enjoy doing it every moment. I’m living my dream.

And, looking at what Way has accomplished in such a short time and at a young age, there’s no doubt that dreams do come true.

For more information on Way and Thaitanium, please visit www.myspace.com/waythaitay and www.myspace.com/thaitaynium and www.thaitanium-ent.com.
To contact the writer, please visit www.myspace.com/ladyt1980.