Controversial Rapper Namewee Detained Over Influencer's Mysterious Death

Thu Nov 06 2025 06:33:08 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his provocative music, has been remanded in custody linked to the death of Taiwanese influencer Iris Hsieh. The case has taken a turn, prompting police to reclassify her death as murder.

Malaysian rapper Namewee has been detained in connection with the death of Iris Hsieh, a Taiwanese influencer discovered dead in a hotel bathtub. Having been the last person seen with her, Namewee turned himself in to assist police following allegations of drug possession and use. The investigation has seen a shift, now being treated as a murder case, with Namewee expressing his intent to cooperate fully with authorities.

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. 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. Singing in Mandarin, he is hugely popular in Taiwan and China.

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. At the same time, Mr Fadil said police were waiting for post-mortem and toxicology results to determine the cause of death.

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. Known for his provocative style, he gained popularity in 2007 with a remake of Malaysia's national anthem. His music often touches on sensitive social issues, leading to run-ins with authorities.

Who is Iris Hsieh?

Iris Hsieh, nicknamed the nurse goddess, rose to internet fame with her revealing social media posts. She had a notable following and was active on platforms such as OnlyFans.