Popular rapper released on bail in investigation into influencer who was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Malaysia

Malaysian rapper Namewee was released on bail on Thursday after the The musician was named a “person of interest” in an investigation into the death of a Taiwanese influencer, police said.

Namewee, born Wee Meng Chee, was released until Nov. 26 pending the results of an autopsy on Iris Hsieh, also known as Hsieh Yu-hsin or “nurse goddess” to fans, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said in a statement.

The musician has maintained his innocence, denied any wrongdoing and said in an Instagram post earlier this month that “the truth will speak for itself.”

After the autopsy, the investigation will be referred to the deputy prosecutor’s office, Marsus added. Authorities did not offer a bail amount.

Hsieh, a 31-year-old influencer, was found dead on October 22 in a bathtub at a luxury hotel in the Malaysian capital. She was in Malaysia to discuss a commercial video that Namewee had agreed to direct, her social media manager previously told the BBC.

Namewee, 42, is believed to have been the last person to be with Hsieh before she died, police said.

Namewee, an actor, filmmaker and outspoken hip-hop artist who sings primarily in Mandarin, has found success in China and Taiwan.

Known for his trademark hat, which he sometimes pairs with sunglasses, Namewee was blacklisted by Beijing in 2021 after he wrote a song in Mandarin mocking Chinese nationalists, which racked up more than 30 million views on YouTube.

Namewee is no stranger to controversy, however, drawing widespread criticism in his home country for the 2007 release of “Negarakuku,” a parody of the Malaysian national anthem.

He was also detained in Malaysia in 2016 for several days after he allegedly insulted Islam in a video filmed partially inside a mosque in the Muslim-majority country. Namewee insisted that the video for the song “Oh My God” was intended to promote religious harmony, the BBC reported at the time.

Just two years later, he was arrested again for insulting Islam with a Lunar New Year video that showed dancers wearing dog masks and performing suggestive moves.

Malaysian media reported that Namewee contacted emergency services shortly after midnight on October 22 after finding Hsieh unconscious in the bathroom.

Police arrested Namewee that same day after finding nine blue pills believed to be ecstasy in the hotel room, the BBC reported. Namewee denied taking drugs, but tested positive for several illicit substances, including amphetamines, methamphetamine, ketamine and THC, police said, according to the BBC.

He pleaded not guilty to drug charges, the BBC reported.

Hsieh has more than half a million followers on Instagram. Four other social media accounts were suspended for “sexual solicitation of adults,” CNA reported.

Hsieh’s social media manager, who asked to be referred to only as Chris, told the BBC that his family was unable to go to Malaysia to follow the case due to his “severe disabilities”.