That’s barely two and a half days! It has since crossed the two million mark.

“It was really very surprising that he would have promised this cooperation,” says the South East Asian rapper on his Facebook page. “[Lee Hom’s] insistence and sensitivity for music gave me a lot of valuable advice.”

One could say that the song depicts Namewee’s personal journey as a Malaysian artist struggling to make a name for himself overseas (specifically Beijing). The lyrics say:

He lives in a jobs apartment on the outskirts of Beijing
Populated by foreigners who come from all over the place
He’s busy preparing his resume with huge expectations
Back and forth on 930th avenue waiting for that miracle

The music video was shot in China’s capital city, which brings a sense of gritty realism to the story and lyrics.

Although the song itself is performed in mandarin, the multilingual subtitles reach out to a larger, more global audience. Much like how the migrant worker is reaching overseas to make a living.

The song was completed online after Namewee sent a demo track to Lee Hom, who was surprised and impressed by it. The pair only met in person for the video shoot. “The first time when I arrived in Beijing, the first time I met him, he saw me giving me a “American” hug [sic],” says Namewee.

But it only became widely known after the MV was released. Watch “Stranger In The North” here:

Photo: Namewee/Facebook