Infamous rapper, actor and filmmaker says his newest movie undertaking is meant to convey individuals collectively.
Malaysian hip hop artist, actor, and filmmaker Wee Meng Chee, higher identified merely as Namewee, made worldwide headlines final 12 months when his music was banned in China over his hit single Fragile.
Recorded with Australian singer Kimberly Chen, the tune was portrayed as poking enjoyable on the Chinese language authorities and its sensitivity to public criticism.
Since its launch final October, Fragile has accrued greater than 41 million views on YouTube, however it's removed from Namewee’s first success or first controversy as an artist.
Namewee’s work has typically pushed the envelope in his conservative dwelling nation by discussing points like faith, race, and corruption, incomes him a number of police investigations – together with for his 2020 movie Babi. It was impressed by a faculty riot that native authorities allegedly tried to cowl up 20 years in the past for worry of inflaming racial tensions.
He has even discovered himself the goal of indignant followers of the Okay-pop group Blackpink.
Simply greater than a month into 2022, Namewee has already launched a brand new comedy Nasi Lemak 1.0, named for Malaysia’s standard spicy coconut rice dish, and a single from the movie Curry and Roti, which notched up some 4.4 million views within the week after its launch.
Al Jazeera lately spoke to Namewee about his work and fame.
The interview has been edited for size and readability.
Al Jazeera: It looks like you aren't afraid to be controversial. Have you ever at all times been this manner, or did one thing occur that modified you?
Namewee: For me, I by no means assume I’m controversial. Controversial is a phrase that folks give me. I by no means say I’m controversial. I’m simply attempting to inform fact by my music, my music movies and my circulate. Simply put one thing true inside [but] while you’re telling the reality, individuals will say that you're controversial.
Al Jazeera: Some would say your work has been labelled controversial for criticising China, or discussing Islam. What do you assume?
Namewee: I’m not important about China or Islam. I simply convey up points and convey up what actually occurs in society, as a result of I'm additionally an atypical individual, like who watches the information and who cares concerning the world, and who cares about my nation. I'm attempting to boost points by utilizing true tales, occasions, and likewise some information, and I put it in my music, and in my movies and likewise in my music movies.
Al Jazeera: Whenever you create a brand new piece of labor, do you anticipate a backlash?
Namewee: I began my YouTube channel 12 or 13 years in the past … at the moment many individuals began to criticise me … At the moment, possibly I felt a bit damage when individuals attacked me, and likewise my household. They can't settle for me … However since then it’s been a few years, and I’ve created plenty of content material, so individuals already know I actually am and many individuals begin defend for me, so I've extra confidence to do what I’m doing now.
Al Jazeera: A few of your work has praised Taiwan, the place you lived lately. Do you favor to dwell in Taiwan or Malaysia?
Namewee: I believe I can dwell in all places as a result of I’m a backpacker. Once I was in highschool, in college, I began my backpacker life, so I can dwell anyplace, however Malaysia is my dwelling, despite the fact that there are various prohibitions and limitations for my paintings, for my creativity, for my profession. However that’s why I lived in Taiwan to begin my profession, as a result of Taiwan has extra freedom and so they respect creativity and there’s extra help for me … in order that’s why I at all times say Taiwan is my second dwelling.
Al Jazeera: What was your first impression of Taiwan?
Namewee: My first impression is I believe it’s freedom, as a result of I can see the individuals protests in all places, each week, possibly twice every week. At the moment, in Malaysia, we didn't have many protests. We have been allowed to protest however not many individuals dare to protest on the road at the moment, 12 or 13 years in the past. So after I arrived Taiwan [for the first time], I may see that everybody can specific themselves, as a result of they've freedom of speech, freedom of creativity, and freedom of publishing information. That’s why I hope Malaysia, my nation, will be the identical and that’s why I’m at all times [discussing its] issues on social media, Fb and YouTube.
Al Jazeera: Why did you resolve to write down Fragile about China? Did you anticipate it might get banned?
Namewee: Really, I by no means mentioned my tune is about China. What I imply is, the tune is a love tune, that’s what I’m telling the viewers and the media. However in the event you really feel offended, that’s what the tune is about … I [say] one thing I didn’t imply it, however you are feeling offended. That’s fragile.
When China banned me, I didn’t truly count on it. Many individuals have requested me how do you are feeling concerning the China ban? I’m not the one who actually received banned, the individuals [impacted by the ban] are the individuals of China, as a result of I’m nonetheless doing what I’m doing however they can't watch something they need, [and] they can't take heed to something they wish to take heed to.
Al Jazeera: Do you would like different artists in Malaysia would push the envelope extra?
Namewee: I believe it’s my fashion and I believe my fashion shouldn't be [something] many, many individuals dare to do, as a result of I've to sacrifice quite a bit. As a result of as an artist … we want sponsorships, we have to work with the enterprise, the business [side], we have to work with the mass media and the ‘mainstream’. If you happen to turn out to be a controversial or a ‘delicate’ artist, you'll lose plenty of jobs…. as a result of manufacturers or corporations, they don’t need controversial artists. They don’t wish to work with you.
Al Jazeera: How do you assume the general public will obtain Nasi Lemak 1.0?
Namewee: Since final 12 months, I've one other film known as Babi. Me and my producer received in hassle, and the court docket case remains to be ongoing. So we face plenty of hassle, so it was fairly difficult for us to launch one other film, like Nasi Lemak 1.0.
Al Jazeera: One cause why Babi was controversial was as a result of individuals thought it was racist for together with racial slurs on the poster, however your new film Nasi Lemak 1.0 is about multi-racial concord. Are you able to share any ideas about this?
Namewee: For me, each motion pictures are the identical. The goal and the aim and spirit of the flicks are the identical, despite the fact that the titles are completely different. [The goal] is to convey everybody collectively in a single film, convey each race collectively … We simply tried to place everybody collectively and unfold the message of concord in Malaysia as a result of now we have fairly a severe racism downside. Based on the Index Mundi, Malaysia is the quantity two most racist nation on the planet. Primary is South Africa. (Editor’s be aware: The survey requested residents in a variety of international locations whether or not they thought racism was an enormous downside of their nation.)
In Malaysia, now we have completely different cultures, completely different races, and we communicate in several languages. And now we have completely different faith, completely different beliefs in my nation, now we have Islam, and now we have Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity. Now we have many various religions and we communicate completely different languages, now we have our personal cultures. That’s why Nasi Lemak 1.0 and Babi have the identical objective, the identical spirit to unfold to the viewers.
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