Thaiboy Digital on Fatherhood, Fame, and Christopher Nolan

Thaiboy Digital is getting swarmed by fans on the sidewalk. It’s a muggy June evening, and the rapper is set to play his first solo show in New York. No Drain Gang, just him and his entourage getting stopped on every corner by kids decked out in his merch. It’s been a big year for Thaiboy, who’s now based in Bangkok full-time. He recently released his album Paradise with the Swedish production collective swedm® on his independent label B.O.S.S.S. His mysterious Eurodance alter ego, DJ Billybool, has been busy putting out music too. Earlier this month, we caught up with him midway through an international tour stop in New York. Backstage at Elsewhere, the greenroom is overflowing with spilled micheladas, drill music, and beautiful women. We get nine minutes on the record before he’s whisked away and pushed onstage. Somehow, it’s just enough time to talk fatherhood, fashion, algorithms, Christopher Nolan movies, and life in Bangkok.

FRIDAY 9:45 PM, JUNE 5, 2026, BROOKLYN

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How do you like being a parent?

I love being a parent. You really lock in and your whole world completely changes. If you feel like something is missing or that you’re looking for something, becoming a parent will give you an answer. Kids are really what fulfilled me.

Do your kids love music?

Yes. I play our music a lot to the kids. If I make a new song or new album, I play it for them first. If there’s a bad word, I just switch the volume, almost like a DJ. 

You’re in Bangkok full time now, right? What’s the music scene like there? 

There’s a big scene in Bangkok. I would say it’s similar compared to the US. Everyone is very outgoing and loves to party in Thailand. If you go out to the family junction, it’s a party. The elders, uncles, aunties are playing music and doing karaoke. Everywhere you go, music is there. It’s a core thing in Thailand. It’s all about food, music, cars, bikes, and engines. 

What’s the energy like when you’re here? 

New York is crazy. I feel like a lot of stuff is popping. When I wake up in New York, I don’t know what the fuck is going to happen. I’ve been here many times, so I’m prepared for the unknown. But even then, you cannot prepare for what the night of New York is going to give you, and I love it. It’s like a random adventure. Everyone in New York has such a big personality. Very individual. 

What are you New York fans like? You were swarmed by people on your way over here from the restaurant. 

Yeah. I was standing at the red light and people on the streets were saying hello and, “La, la, la.” Then a car pulled up also and said hello. It feels like you’re in a game or some shit like that. 

Do you like being famous?

I acknowledge it. I like serving my fans. But do I like being famous? I don’t want to say no, but I enjoy being in Bangkok where I can go about my day and no one stops me. I can just pull up in shorts and flip-flops doing regular day shit, and I don’t feel like I have to have an act going.

Do you like fashion?

I love, I love, I love, I love it. I like getting swagged out and shit every day if I can.

Does your wife always join you on tour?

She does now. It’s our new thing and it’s been really nice. It’s better to have an adventure with my wife. There are a lot of times where I go do all this stuff, then I come home and tell her all these stories. But I’m not a good storyteller, so it’s better that I bring her along and then she can tell me the stories of how she felt. But it’s good for the relationship to be together and she can see what I do for work. 

How did you guys meet?

Once upon a time, I worked as a bartender in Bangkok. My homie told me, “You got to stop partying, and get some work.” So I did that for like a week, learned to do fucking drinks and shit. Then one of the days I saw my wife come in, it was like a model night. The models would do this stuff somewhere else and then come to our bar after. This girl walked in wearing a red dress, super beautiful, and I was so drawn into her. I felt like I levitated through the bar. That’s how we met. 

What’s the last movie that you watched?

The last movie that I watched was Tenet. It’s a Christopher Nolan movie about time, like the present, the past, and the future. It’s pretty twisted and I didn’t understand it at first so I watched it three times in a row on a 10-hour flight.

You watched it three times in a row?

Yeah. If you’re more familiar with Interstellar, it’s similar in how the movie ends but it will keep you thinking. I watched it for the first time, then the second time, and then finally the third time I understood it. I was like, “Wow, what a fucking movie.” I’ll watch it again on one of these flights during this tour. 

Tell me about your new record label. What kind of people do you want coming in and doing shit with you?

On some dream shit? I would love to get Tiësto and Basshunter coming in to do the show. I would love Future to come, and also Soulja Boy. That’s the dream. I’m just going to name-drop my favorite artists and shit.

What’s the last song that you listened to?

The last song I listened to is probably some Cumbia. Like, “Dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, dat, da, da.” It’s like South American music.

What’s the last piece of clothing that you bought? 

I bought these pants. They’re Obelisk Jeans from Japan. They have crocodile leather in the back. I got them in LA. This big group of youngins, they were like 18, 19, and they were running these shops and stuff. Then they pull up to the show with all of these clothes. I bought these pants, and some tops and stuff.

New York or LA?

Hard one. For now I say LA, because I did a show there and all the interactions I had with people after were insane. I haven’t done the show yet in New York, but I love New York a lot. I did a lot of press here. I did like Hot 97 and shit. New York personalities, again, are really strong.

What’s your favorite place to shop in New York?

I don’t really like to go shopping. I like for people to come to me with selected items. There’s a lot of young people doing stuff. Shout out to the boys in LA. I’m not a shopper. I’m not going to go look at stuff and start picking stuff out. I like when they come, and they know me, and they present me stuff that I would like, and I select from that. I like that kind of shopping more. So like today, they pulled us some Magellan, like this is some OG Kuboraum, and some Japanese vintage stuff. 

What’s your take on the music industry right now?

The music industry right now feels really splattered out. I feel like there’s so much music in the world. Back in the day there was less, which made it easier to narrow things down and find what you like. And nowadays, with all the algorithms, and the AI and shit, it’s so easy for one to get lost in the sauce and you might not find the real gold. For me it’s good because it’s like the way that I like to find my clothes, I’m more of a lazy person. I enjoy stuff being provided to me because I’m not as serious like, “Oh, it has to be this thing from this way, this place.” In our age with the computer, with AI algorithms, they can provide the vibe that I’m looking for. Might be an unpopular opinion, but I think it serves me.