KUALA LUMPUR: Taiwan-based Malaysian singer-actor Namewee celebrated his 40th birthday last Saturday with a throwback photo of his 20-year-old self.
In the photo, Namewee whose real name is Wee Meng Chee was shown working on a construction site and wearing a helmet and harness.
In the caption to the photo, the Muar-born singer-actor wrote: "I was in Taiwan working and studying, saving money to make music, writing hundreds of songs which nobody had heard of."
He added that he worked in several jobs including as a salesman and a waiter to buy musical equipment and record a CD.
"I burnt the recorded demo to CD, copied the addresses of at least 30 record companies in Taiwan, and took the CD from door to door on a motorcycle to deliver it to them. I did it so many times, year after year, but nobody replied," he said.
After five years and moving house five times, his big break came when YouTube emerged.
Namewee said that as one born under the Taurus zodiac sign, he was determined not to give up.
"Now that I am 40 I will try to make myself a better person and treat the people around me sincerely."
In December 2020, a police report was lodged against Namewee in Malaysia over his controversial film titled Babi.
The film was about hate speech, and allegedly tarnished Malaysia's image by depicting racism amongst youths.
In March 2021, he was flagged by the Malaysian government upon his return from Taiwan and taken to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's police station for questioning.
He stayed in Malaysia until July 2021, but the Babi controversy remained unresolved when he returned to Taiwan to continue working on other projects.
He returned to Malaysia in January 2022, when an arrest warrant against him was lifted.