Controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee to perform in Singapore on Nov 9

Malaysian rapper Namewee is taking off again after his concert tour was previously grounded.

The artiste – whose real name is Wee Meng Chee – revealed on social media on Sept 10 the next four stops for his Namewee Big Bird Tour, which resumes after more than a year.

The 41-year-old will perform in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct 21; Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Nov 2; Singapore on Nov 9; and Genting Highlands, Malaysia, on Nov 16.

The Singapore leg of his tour will be held at the Esplanade Theatre, and ticket sales will begin at noon on Sept 12.

He last performed here at music event Sundown Festival in August 2023.

Taiwanese news portal ETtoday reported on Aug 23 that the tour incurred huge losses when it was halted after its first show in Taipei in April 2023. The tour was originally scheduled to stop in 15 other cities, such as Singapore, Osaka, Paris, Toronto and Sydney.

Namewee said on social media that the concert partners, who had business interests in China, dared not continue to work with him after facing pressure from unnamed parties.

The controversial rapper has been blacklisted in China since the release of his satirical single, Fragile, in 2021. The track was said to be full of barbed references to Chinese President Xi Jinping and China-related issues, such as the political status of Taiwan.

Book it/Namewee Big Bird Tour – Terminal Singapore

Where: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: Nov 9, 8pm
Admission: Tickets from $98 to $228 go on sale on Sept 12 from noon via https://biztmgptix.bigtix.io/events/NAMESG24