Well we had a lot to choose from like my dad's favorite one that he gave us "Dab Pob Tawb" . I mean it wasn't bad but I feel that it sounds too old. I wanted something that really resemble us for who we are and like to do. A lot of time ABee and I we both come up with names like "Nplooj Siab T.K.H." (Tus Koj Hlub) and "Nplooj Siab L.T." (Lee, Thao) but none of these really gave in. Then some how Kongmeng gave in "Khav Ntawm Ntug Cub" . Which means that you can't do what you say, we agree on it. But when it was time to print the cover, the name seem too long. I wanted something that is simple to remember and one word that says it all, so that's why BOYZ was put in. We all have dream when we were little that, we wanted to grow up. But as time turns the pages. We realize that it's not what you really wanted to be after all. When I think back of all the good time when we were bunch of rugrats, all the bad, stupid, good, sad, scary story that we once upon had live through. We only got to live it once and that was it. That's why I thought "You know only once you get to do right and wrong choice" , so I said why not BOYZ. The story and memorise only stays with you while you are alive. But the Legend and Name continues through time. This is what I wanted and only one simple word says it all. We still wanted to be "BOYZ" . We started in the spring of ' 96, having only me Jia Lee and ABee Thao. We were just little BOYZ back then having a dream to sing and have fun. ABee and I got together one day and decided to try recording to see how our voice sounded. I guss I was 13 at the time and he was 12. Our first recording was my dad's little recorder that he got from a K-Mart close out sell. We recorded our first song in the bedroom and you know that it does not have any echo. So, ABee said that why don't we both try in the bathroom. Seems funny but hey it does sounds better then open place like the bedroom. All that day we were not impress about it. So, I decided to go get a KARAOKE. At that time you know "How can two stupid kid offord it" but i had that $100 that I saved from my scholorship from ORCHESTRA. I had an argument with my mom cause finally got the money but how are we going to get the RIDE. It was noon eventually my mom gave up, so she took me to TARGET, where I got the karaoke for $100. So from the KARAOKE ABee and I try to be pros. By collecting as much as of Hmong music like Luj Yaj, Endless Love, and some other Hmong singers. In the summer of ' 97, I thought that "Hey, let's try making our first MUSIC VIDEO" . So again with my dad's little teachnology so thing that he has for us to use we both made our first MUSIC VIDEO in my backyard. It was cheesy and funny but hey you have to start some where. Then as the years went by ABee and I started to get used to the music idea. We did a lot of things from counrty, solo, and even rapping. The idea of having our album out was given from ABee's second older brother "Kongmeng Thao" . He had the same dream about music too but didn't have the chance to finish it. I was thinking that "ABee. if your brother can't even do it, you know how could two little guys like us do it ?" Well for ABee, he didn't want to give up easy. So that's how we both started to gather information on how to start and continue it. When summer roled again in ' 98, that was the day I would never forget. We both agree to having our first album out. About the money our parents took care of it, even though they don't have much to help out. My Uncle Va Lee and my Auntie Lou Xiong help me out a bit with $500. For ABee he got his oldiest brother "Thai Thao" and of course mom. Kongmeng help us contact the studio and making all the arrangement. As for me and ABee we both wrote songs and try to think what kind of style to put in. Finally when the day came to go to the studio, we both were happy and scare. Cause don't know how are we suppose to react at the studio. Our first studio was Yang studio in Stockton, California. ABen Yang was his name, he was a young man maybe in his 30's or so help we got through the process. I tell you it was not like how we practice at home. When it was time to sing, it was scary. It took three long week to get it down, for the recording. This has a lot of impact to my studying in school. I couldn't think of anything but our DREAM. My grades started to go down and i know that I have to make a quick choice on how I'm going to keep my grades up. But how could you, when having your parents on your back everyday getting mad and yelling at you all week, months, and years. But you know I learn a lot from all this and I well use my skills to obtain it. Then finally New year roled by for the 99-00 year. We managed to make our album in time. It was in Merced, California where our first album was release. At the time we didn't have enough money to make any CD's, only casstte for $8.00 each. We perform at parties, dance, and other occasions that they invite us to go. The very first dance party that ABee and I was invited to go was the "Hmong International Party" with live music play by "Stone Heart" . The party was on December 31, 1999, at 8:00 p.m. I remember it so well because it was close to Y2K. As everyone was saying it was suppose to be the last day on EARTH. But me and ABee didn't care. I was thinking, if it's just 5 hours away from death. Then I wanted to make it a living I'll never for get. So, Thai took us there and after we perform there we came back home from FRESNO. I tell you my mom was @$#*! at me, cause I was suppose to be with the family on that night. The other thing is that I didn't even went home that night, I went streight to ABee's house and spent the night. As time went by, I don't know. ABee and my partnership started to fade away like it was nothing. We started not to talk to each other then soon, our music was down. But I didn't want to give up on my dream. I continue on with some new member to the group. That's when TOUA LOR, MICHEAL XIONG, YATAY LEE, and MAI XONG came along. For now we are still BOYZ and still YOUNG. As for ABee, he's on his own on havin his first album with his brother "Kongmeng" . But don't worry we all are still one BIG TEAM.
BOYZ II started right after BOYZ I, I didn't have the feeling to continue music anymore. I realize that music is not just bunch of sound harmanizing. It's about how the creater gives them "LIFE" . But still I was so tired from the last album. It took many many of my hours away. I started to lose my friends that I use to hang aroud with. I felt bad, cause I was not there when they needed me anymore. We use to go play Soccer everyday at Tenaya school. Right when I started all of this. I lost my FRIENDS, GRADES, TEMPER, not knowing what to do next. The next thing that I did, well it was not giving up on DREAMS. I almost did, but TOUA came along and help pull me out of the hole that I had fallen into. I don't remember how me and Toua known each other. All I remember was that we use to play basketball against each other at school. Anyways, he was also in a music group too called "DISTANT ANGLES", just him and his buddies. I didn't know that he likes music as much as I do too. It was at the Hmong New Year that I saw him up there singing with his group. After that, he came over to our both and we started talking. (about music ok) So, it gave me another way to get to the next one. I transfer one of my 6th per. class to GUITAR. I didn't know that Toua was in that class too. We became friends quickly, sharing how we think our idea of music. Then I thought that hmmmm...maybe this GUY is the right one. After couple of weeks together, I learn little bit of guitar chords. I'm not good at guitar. One of the very first song that we both wrote together was a slow song called "VIM LI CAS" "WHY" . At then, those five little chords was good enough. We both wrote more songs after that but they kind of got lost. Then when I went to go visit one of my cousin brother in-law. I saw that he had a good keyboard that I can use to help us with our music. My cosin, well he just let the keybord lay around. So I ask him if I can borrow it to help me and Toua. When I took it home that day, I was like man, how in the world am I suppose to know how to push all these buttons. After couples of week messing around with the keyboard I got use to it. The first song that me and Toua wrote from the keyboard was "MY LADY" and then "LIG" "TOO LATE". At first we had a hard time working together. I was not sure how Toua would like it and he was not sure if I like it too. I remember we took the keyboard with us. When our CHOIR class(well after the first semester, we both got an D in guitar class. I know uhuh...we suck. So Toua and I change it to CHOURSE.) went on a competition in SANTA BARBRA, CA we took along with us the keyboard. Cause we were staying 3 days and 2 nights by the ocean. Also right after that, the very next day. Was my very first performance with Toua at the SENIOR CITZEN for CHANG CLUB of MERCED that we were invited to go. We both spent most of our time going over the songs. At first we were like dam why waste all of our time on these music when we could of have fun. But we didn't want to look STUPID on stage, especially on the first performance. Well that night it went, ok maybe not like I hope it to be but it was OK, for beginners. Right after the performance, that's when Toua and I took MUSIC sereise. STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION.....but it'll be done soon..........I got tired of typing
