Malaysian rapper and filmmaker Wee Meng Chee, also known as Namewee, has issued a heartfelt apology to his fans after confirming that he will not be releasing a new music album this year.
In an end-of-year message on Facebook, he explained that the past several months have been consumed by ongoing legal matters tied to a high-profile influencer’s death, leaving him unable to focus on music production.
Namewee said the disruption marks the first time in 12 years that he has been unable to fulfil his long-standing commitment of releasing a new album each year.
He expressed regret to supporters who had been anticipating his next project and thanked them for their continued support.
What happened?
The legal issues stem from the death of Taiwanese social media influencer Iris Hsieh Yu-hsin, popularly known online as “Iris Hsieh”, who was found unresponsive in a hotel bathtub in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 22 while reportedly working with Namewee on a video project.
Malaysian police initially classified the death as sudden, but later reclassified the case as a murder investigation and sought to question Namewee, as he was the last person seen with her before her death.
Namewee was remanded to assist police investigations into the influencer’s death and related matters, before being granted police bail as investigations continued.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers reportedly said there was, at that stage, no evidence linking him to causing the influencer’s death, though further investigations were ongoing.
New album expected to be out in mid-2026
Due to the toll of these legal proceedings on his schedule and creative output, Namewee announced that his next full-length album will now be targeted for release around mid-2026, assuming the court cases conclude smoothly.
“Plans can’t always keep up with changes,” he wrote, urging fans for understanding and thanking them for their loyalty throughout his career, while promising that the album will be worth the wait once it finally arrives.
