Tight Eyez

On February 1st, 1980 in a refugee camp on the outskirts of Thailand a male child was born. Barely born, and already marked by the world as a descendant of the 'killing fields of Cambodia'. A descendant of a culture scarred by wars, and monstrous acts of inhumanity. This child would later adopt the name 'TightEyez'. TightEyez fled with his family from Thailand to America as many Southeast Asians did in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the Civil Wars of Cambodia. He arrived in America at a very young age. His family had hopes and dreams of a better life in America without the pain and sufferings of war. What they encountered instead, was pain and suffering of a different kind. The pain of poverty, and the pain of losing one another.To say that life was hard for TightEyez while growing up would be a gross understatement. TightEyez and three other family members lived in a small house on the Westside of a little town called Stockton, in a neighborhood called Louis Park. This neighborhood is notorious for violent crimes, murders, gangs, and drugs. As young boys growing up in this type of environment, TightEyez and his older brother joined the neighborhood street gangs as a way to survive the violent ghetto streets. Growing up in a poor family TightEyez did whatever was necessary to survive and see another day.Life was an everyday struggle for them and pain became a close companion. After so many years of living this way they began to accept the cards that life dealt them and even became accustomed to it. His family was a tight knit circle and was always there for each other when times got rough. Even though times were hard his family managed to remain happy until 1994. That year his brother was arrested and incarcerated for murder. His brother was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at the age of 17. He has a little girl by the name of Erika who is about 10 years old now. TightEyez's mother and step father took good care of his older brother while he was in prison. They tried their best to give him everything he needed and when they couldn't he would understand, that's just how his family was, very understanding towards one another.With the loss of his brother, the circle collapsed and his family began to break apart. His mother began drinking excessively to deal with the pain of losing her eldest son. TightEyez began spending more and more time on the streets and became increasingly uncontrollable. His step dad, who raised and cared for them since they were very young, was left in the middle. TightEyez tried his best to keep his family together, anyway that he could. However his mother became ill and as time passed on her condition deteriorated. His mother passed away on September 13, 1999 as TightEyez slept next to her. The death of his mother crushed TightEyez and his step father. To this day it still pains him to talk about it. His step dad later moved back to Washington to be closer to his family. TightEyez felt that it was time for him to take care of himself, so he decided not to tag along. His step dad later re-married and had a son of his own. Alone and homeless TightEyez moves from house to house dependant on the kindness of distant family members and close friends who offer him a place to rest his head.TightEyez currently resides with a close friend and his family. All that TightEyez has left in the world is his little girl who stays with her mother in Alaska. Determined to make a difference TightEyez devotes all his spare time into his music and finding ways to be in his little girl's life. He says he enjoys making music because music is his therapy. It is the only way for him to express his emotions, release his anger, and ease the pain that travels through his heart. His music allows him to deal with his pain and keeps him from going crazy. It's what drives him to strive for a brighter day. TightEyez wants everybody to know that that is what they should be doing too. He says 'Never waste time bullshitting and keep your mind focused on what is really important in each and everyone's life. Life is just too damn precious.'