Malaysian Rapper Freed After Being Held for Insulting Islam
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L i f e s t y l e FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016 Malaysian rapper freed after being held for insulting Islam Malaysian rapper, who was arrested for insulting Islam in a call to prayer. It is illegal for non-Muslims to use the word Allah to music video that was filmed inside a mosque and used the refer to God in Malaysia, even in reference to their own faith. Aword “Allah,” was freed yesterday on health grounds. Wee Activist Mizuad Mohamad Azudin, who lodged a police report Meng Chee, who goes by the stage name Namewee, was arrested against Namewee, said the singer’s “despicable behavior” had on Sunday over the song, entitled “Oh my God,” when he landed at angered Muslims. Kuala Lumpar airport after returning from overseas. Police said he But Amnesty International condemned the arrest as “another was being investigated for defiling a place of worship, with the sign of the increasing repression by the Malaysian authorities intention of insulting religion, as part of the video was filmed in a against government critics, including artists”. In a video posted on mosque. YouTube, Namewee said the song was written to “promote harmo- Namewee was held for four days in northern Penang state, ny”. Malaysia generally practices a moderate brand of Islam among where the offense allegedly took place. If found guilty, the 33-year- its majority Malay community, but conservative views have gained old ethnic Chinese musician could be jailed for up to two years and increasing traction in recent years. Minorities-mainly ethnic Indians face a fine. Penang district police chief, Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, and Chinese-complain of what they see as Islamisation. Issues said the magistrates court had refused to extend his arrest because related to race, religion and language are considered sensitive in Namewee had health problems. “Namewee is suffering from stom- Malaysia, which witnessed deadly riots mainly between ethnic ach ulcers,” he told AFP. “Namewee has been freed on police bail Malays and Chinese in 1969. — Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande and we are still continuing with the investigations.” to perform at MTV awards.—AFP “They had entered a mosque to do the video,” Mior added. The video features Namewee and three other singers in front of various File photo shows Malaysian rapper Wee places of worship, including a mosque as well Hindu, Buddhist and Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, Taoist temples. The song is in Mandarin, but the lyrics include reli- speaking during an interview with AFP at his gious terms including “Allah” and “Hallelujah,” as well as the Islamic office in Kuala Lumpur. — AFP Celine Dion to release first album since husband’s death Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande anadian singer Celine Dion will release today Over the summer, she went on a whirlwind tour to perform at MTV awards her first album produced without direct of France and the French-speaking Canadian Cinput from her longtime manager and hus- province of Quebec, where she was born, that icki Minaj and Ariana Grande will career Video Vanguard Award, as well as the band Rene Angelil, who died in January. Dion has included nine sold-out shows at the Bercy arena in reunite to perform at the latest MTV rapper Future and Britney Spears, who is sold more than 220 million albums worldwide Paris and a dozen performances in Quebec to pro- NVideo Music Awards, the network releasing a new album. MTV on Wednesday since 1981 when Angelil discovered her powerful mote the new album. Combining piano ballads, announced Wednesday. Minaj, one of the announced that award presenters for Sunday voice and helped a young girl to launch one of the pop-rock guitar riffs and even hip-hop rhythms, most successful female rappers, will join will include reality television star Kim most successful music careers ever. After guiding “Encore Un Soir” explores Dion’s loss through lyrics Grande in the pop star’s single “Side to Side” at Kardashian, whose husband Kanye West is up Dion’s career for more than a decade as her man- about bereavement, the strength of family and the the gala Sunday night at New York’s Madison for the top prize with “Famous.” ager, Angelil married her in 1994 when she was 26. joys of living. Dion wrote and recorded the title Square Garden. The pair, along with English Other presenters will include New York- Dion’s latest album, “Encore Un Soir” (“Another track with longtime collaborator Jean-Jacques singer Jessie J, collaborated together at the born hip-hop mogul Puff Daddy, R&B singing Night”), is her first in French in four years. It is due to Goldman one month after Angelil died on January 2014 VMAs in one of the night’s first and best- great Alicia Keys, second-generation rapper be followed up in 2017 by another in English that 14 from throat cancer at age 73.The ballad, which received performances. and actor Jaden Smith and British singer Rita includes a track called “Recovering” written by US the pop diva dedicated to her late husband, was Minaj again kicked off the awards in 2015 Ora. A year after Miley Cyrus enjoyed much of singer-songwriter Pink. “I’m already starting to released in May. In it, she reflects on a good life, but in a performance with pop superstar Taylor the focus by presenting the awards, MTV will work on an English album,” Dion told US television bemoans how fleeting it is. “Celine voluntarily Swift-despite Minaj’s criticism of MTV that year forego a traditional host. The gala will instead show Entertainment Tonight (ET) last month. chose uplifting themes that focused on life and for passing over her “Anaconda” in nomina- have a series of presenters including rap pro- positivity,” her Sony Music label said in a statement. tions for Video of the Year. Previously ducer DJ Khaled, who will appear from a luxu- Celine Dion announced performers for Sunday’s awards ry box in the arena. — AFP ‘The show must go on’ include Rihanna, who will be presented with a Six weeks after Angelil’s passing, Dion had returned to her residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, in keeping with his wishes. In an interview with ABC television’s “Good Morning America,” Dion said that she thought of her late husband when singing “The Show Must Go On.” She said that in their last conversation, she told him not to be concerned about her or their three children. “I started to talk to him and I said, you know what, I want you to just go in peace,” she said. “I want you to not worry.” Dion’s brother Daniel died of the same type of cancer two days later. Several big names in French music, including singer-songwriters Francis Cabrel and Serge Lama, slam poet Grand Corps Malade, and Jacques Veneruso-whose 2012 song “Talk to My Father” became Dion’s longest-charting single in France-as well as Algerian R&B singer Zaho col- laborated with her on the new album. Dion also recorded a cover of Quebec music icon Robert Charlebois’s “Ordinary,” delving into her Quebec heritage. And, one track on the album was chosen from 4,000 submissions she received last year from fans after Dion made a public plea for new song suggestions. It was written by Quebec actor Daniel Picard, who has lent his voice to the popular video game franchise Assassin’s Creed. — AFP Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.