Malaysian rapper Namewee is getting backlash from the public and his fans after recently faking his death.
He admitted to staging a bogus funeral on April Fool’s Day to promote his new song When I’m Gone, which was released on Thursday (April 4) at 4.44pm.
Despite getting flamed online, the 40-year-old has continued with the campaign.
On Instagram this week, he posted photos from his new music video, with one post showing him lying in a coffin.
“Do not fear death, but rather the unlived life,” the post’s caption read.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5U0MfEyY0p/
Namewee first posted details of his “farewell ceremony” such as the venue and visitation hours on April 1.
In a viral Facebook video that day, a Malaysian reporter was seen attempting to verify the rapper’s death at the funeral hall and reprimanding a man for “wasting the nation’s resources”.
The following day, Namewee revealed he was fine in a social media post.
Worried fans commented on the post, saying that his joke about life and death was “too much”.
In response to the backlash, Namewee said that those who were disappointed by his stunt are “fake fans”. According to him, true fans would have understood the importance of his event.
The rapper said he didn’t see a problem for playing a joke on April Fool’s Day, and clarified that the farewell ceremony was not a joke as he was taking it seriously, reported 8world.
“I feel that this society needs more humour and creativity. I’m using my own money to shine a light on something I find meaningful,” he explained.
This stunt shows the importance of “pre-planning for one’s death”, something that he had realised over the past year.
Besides facing considerable pressure from the public, Namewee shared that he had several health scares and lost many friends and his pet of 13 years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5VS3DeS8DH/
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