After weeks away from the spotlight amid legal proceedings, Malaysian rapper Namewee has resurfaced with the release of a new Chinese New Year single.
The song was unveiled following his acquittal at the Magistrate’s Court last month, while police investigations continue into the death of Taiwanese influencer Hsieh Yu-hsin, popularly known as Iris Hsieh or “Nurse Goddess”.
Timed with the Year of the Horse, Namewee — whose real name is Wee Meng Chee — said his latest festive track, Type C Malaysia, is inspired by the diverse ancestral roots and dialects of Malaysian Chinese communities.
He said the song aims to highlight Chinese dialects that are gradually fading from everyday use, using music as a platform to preserve and celebrate them.
“Many of these languages are disappearing, and I wanted to present them in my own way through this song,” Namewee said in the description accompanying the music video on YouTube.
He added that the track reflects how Malaysian Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year in a uniquely local way, distinct from the winter celebrations commonly associated with the festival elsewhere.
“The world should see that Chinese New Year does not have to be cold and snowy — Malaysian Chinese celebrate it joyfully on the equator,” he said.
Since its release on Jan 2, the music video has garnered more than 2.5 million views.
Produced in collaboration with Malaysian e-hailing platform GV Rides, the song features veteran local singers performing in six major Chinese dialects widely spoken in Malaysia — Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese, Foochow and Teochew.
Namewee described the project as too ambitious to undertake alone, saying he enlisted experienced lyricists from each dialect group, along with well-known veteran singers, to ensure cultural depth and authenticity.
The title Type C references a racial euphemism that sparked controversy in May 2024, after it was used by a local fast-food chain in a social media post responding to a customer complaint, drawing widespread criticism.
The music video incorporates six colours — blue, orange, pink, white, yellow and purple — symbolising different Chinese ancestral origins, inspired by the Johor Ancient Temple Chingay Festival, a century-old cultural celebration involving major Chinese clans.
It also features a cameo by Inthiran Packirisamy, who went viral two years ago following a physical altercation with a shopkeeper at a minimarket in Seberang Jaya, Penang — an incident widely known online as “one by one, gentleman”.
Namewee was detained in October to assist police investigations after Hsieh was found dead in a hotel room along Jalan Conlay on Oct 22, with the case later reclassified as a murder probe.
He was charged on Oct 24 with drug use and possession following a police search, and was released on bail pending investigations.
In December, he was acquitted of the drug use charge after a chemist’s report showed his urine test was negative and the prosecution withdrew the case.
However, he still faces a separate drug possession charge at another Magistrate’s Court, with the case scheduled for mention on Jan 19.
