Rapper Namewee Under Investigation for Influencer's Death

Thu Nov 06 2025 16:14:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Malaysian rapper Namewee has been detained in connection with the mysterious death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh, stirring controversies and social media reactions.

Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his provocative music, has been implicated in the death of influencer Iris Hsieh. Hsieh was reported dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel under mysterious circumstances. Police said Namewee was the last person seen with her, and his past drug offenses are complicating the investigation. Despite his claims of innocence, Namewee has been remanded for questioning. This incident has captivated social media and raised questions surrounding the responsibilities of influencers.

Controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee has been remanded in custody in connection with the death of a Taiwanese influencer found dead in a Kuala Lumpur hotel bathtub two weeks ago.

Police say Namewee, 42, was the last person seen with 31-year-old Iris Hsieh, according to reports. She was in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video Namewee had agreed to direct, her social media manager told the BBC.

Namewee, who denies charges of illegal drug use and possession for which he was granted bail, is now back in custody to 'assist in the investigation,' police said after reclassifying her death as murder.

He turned himself in early on Wednesday, his lawyer said, and has been put on remand for six days.

'I won't run away'

The case has gone through many twists in the last few days.

According to Malaysian media reports, Namewee contacted emergency services at 12:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on 22 October, after he found Hsieh unresponsive in the bathroom.

Police arrested Namewee that same day, after they found nine blue pills believed to be ecstasy in the hotel room.

Despite denying he had used drugs, Namewee tested positive for several illicit substances, including amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine, and THC, police said.

On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the drug charges and was released on bail.

Namewee has maintained his innocence over the past few days and accused local media of chasing shadows with their reports on the case.

The singer, known for his satirical and profanity-laced music, has 3.6m subscribers on YouTube and 856,000 followers on Instagram.

Hsieh was previously featured in Namewee's music video for China Reggaeton, a song he released in January 2020.

On Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus told reporters Namewee had 'gone into hiding' after Hsieh's case was reclassified from 'sudden death' to murder.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Namewee posted a clip on Instagram saying he had arrived at the police station and would fully co-operate with the police to provide answers to the public and the bereaved family. I won't run away, he added.

Who is Namewee?

Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, has long courted controversy with his music.

Often seen wearing a beanie and sunglasses, he gained popularity in 2007 with his controversial remake of Malaysia's national anthem, which mocked the government.

Namewee has collaborated with other popular Mandarin artists and has been nominated three times for the best Mandarin male singer in Taiwan's Golden Melody Awards. He has also ventured into filmmaking.

Who is Iris Hsieh?

Hsieh, nicknamed the nurse goddess, rose to internet fame in 2019 and was known for her revealing photos and active OnlyFans account. She had about 545,000 followers on Instagram.

Her social media manager mentioned that her family was unable to travel to Malaysia due to disabilities and have hired legal representation to follow up on the case.