Hegemony and Symbolic Resistance in Malaysia: A Study of Namewee’s Music
Wee Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, is a controversial Malaysian rapper whose music has courted trouble with the Malaysian government. Although some people dismiss his songs as profane, this paper will highlight that Namewee’s music actually constitutes a critique of Malaysia’s social realiti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor's University
2012
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| Online Access: | http://eprints.intimal.edu.my/240/ http://eprints.intimal.edu.my/240/1/2.pdf |
| Summary: | Wee Meng Chee, better known as Namewee, is a controversial Malaysian rapper whose
music has courted trouble with the Malaysian government. Although some people dismiss
his songs as profane, this paper will highlight that Namewee’s music actually constitutes
a critique of Malaysia’s social realities, and it challenges the BN ruling coalition’s political
discourses, particularly UMNO’s ideology of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay hegemony). One
recurring theme in Namewee’s songs is his frustration with policies that discriminate
against Chinese Malaysians. To understand the significance of Namewee’s music, this
paper refers to previous scholarly efforts in analysing the ways subordinate groups respond
to domination and explores the potentials of rap music as a form of symbolic resistance
against the dominant political discourse in Malaysia. Namewee’s works also stand out
considering ‘protest songs’ are a rare genre in Malaysia. |
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