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Before all the buckets of icy Songkran water dry up in this unforgiving summer heat, can we puh-lease rewind and reflect on the magic and madness of this year’s VOLO Festival?
It all went down at Vana Nava Water Jungle, Hua Hin, on April 13-14. And if reminiscing about VOLO has got you feeling fomo, well, you better be there next year.
As we mull over what water fests were the most lit in Thailand (and there were tons), it’s time to put the argument to sleep because VOLO brought the heat to the Songkran scene this year — for the following awesome reasons.
We need to talk about it A$AP
There is no dispute, VOLO is not like any other Songkran party in Thailand. For starters, Thailand’s been riding the EDM wave with parties around RCA and Rama 9 venues known for their pumping beats. But hip-hop and rap are making a strong comeback, and Thailand isn’t falling behind on this trend. And so the crusade to restore the glory days of hip hop has begun with this year’s first-ever VOLO Fest. And why shouldn’t we start with a bang?
Harlem-raised rapper and producer A$AP Rocky and rapper-turned-entrepreneur Ja Rule were the headlining stars of the 2-day fest, also joined by South Korean rap star Gray, Thailand’s own DaboyWay, Youngohm, and others (but we’ll get there in a minute).
All eyes were on the man behind the hits “Praise the Lord (Da Shine),” “F**kin’ Problems,” “L$D,” and more. A$AP brought the swagger and heat to counter the Songkran splash. He stole the spotlight all by himself on April 14.
New rap game but the same old rule
A$AP Rocky may be the young blood of today’s rap and hip-hop, but have some respect for the old school. Despite being known more for his entrepreneurial activities these days, Jeffrey Bruce Atkins aka your boy Ja Rule (bet you didn’t know that name), who’s responsible for “Livin’ it up,” “Put it on me,” and of course, the iconic collab of “What’s Luv,” kept the first day of VOLO on fire.
Thai rap game strong
VOLO may have seen the game-changers of new and old school rap from the US; let’s not forget the rest of the crew, Thailand’s up-and-coming rappers Youngohm, Younggu, FIIXD, and Gavin D. Obviously, we can’t forget another heavyweight who revolutionized Thailand’s rap scene: DaboyWay or as he was known before, Way Thaitanium, who now rocks a bleach blonde undercut. If you remember his crew cut from the ol’ days, you know you’re the OG.
VOLO attendees who bravely fought through Bangkok-Hua Hin traffic knew that the 5-hour drive was worth it. Loyal ticket buyers were deservedly rewarded with a cooldown in one of Thailand’s most beloved water parks, Vana Nava, and the open-air music fest VOLO, as dusk settled. Don’t let our words leave it to your imagination, we got the pictures to prove it was a sick party, and hopefully those who missed it will get a chance to redeem themselves in 2020 — who knows what hip-hop artists will headline next year (fingers-crossed for Travis Scott, please).
VOLO Festival is organized by O.N.E Asia. O.N.E Asia was established in 2013 and is now the most active talent buying entity and event organizer in Thailand. With an outstanding history of curating shows and booking artists, O.N.E Asia aims to set the bar even higher by continuing to conduct world-class performances for audiences in the region. It is their passion to create everlasting experiences for both artists and fans who share a love for music.
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