Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his provocative and satirical music, has been remanded in custody following the mysterious death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh. The 31-year-old was found unresponsive in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub two weeks ago. Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, was the last person seen with Hsieh, who was in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video project. Police have reclassified her death as murder, and Namewee is now assisting in the investigation.
Namewee, 42, initially turned himself in after Hsieh’s death and was arrested when police discovered nine blue pills, suspected to be ecstasy, in the hotel room. Despite denying drug use, he tested positive for multiple illicit substances, including amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC. Although he was granted bail on drug-related charges, he has been detained again as the case escalated.
Namewee has maintained his innocence, accusing local media of sensationalism. The rapper, who boasts 3.6 million YouTube subscribers and 856,000 Instagram followers, is renowned for his controversial music, which often critiques societal and political issues. His 2021 song ‘Fragile,’ which mocked Chinese nationalists, was banned in China but gained widespread popularity among Mandarin-speaking audiences.
Hsieh, nicknamed the ‘nurse goddess,’ had a significant social media presence, with over 545,000 Instagram followers. She was known for her revealing photos and had recently started an OnlyFans account. Her family, unable to travel to Malaysia due to severe disabilities, has hired legal representatives to handle the case.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus stated that Namewee had ‘gone into hiding’ after the case was reclassified but later turned himself in, pledging full cooperation. Authorities are awaiting post-mortem and toxicology results to determine the cause of death. The case continues to unfold, drawing significant attention across Asia.