Viral rapper Rich Chigga is starting 2018 off with a new name and new music. The Indonesia-based artist has officially changed his Rich Chigga moniker to “Brian,” which is taken from his birth name Brian Imanuel. To solidify the change, Brian also released “See Me” on the same day.
Brian announced the news via Twitter on Monday (January 1) and referred to his old stage name as a mistake.
“Yes I now go by ‘Brian,'” he wrote. “I have been planning to do this forever and I’m so happy to finally do it. I was naive & I made a mistake. new year, new beginning, happy new years.”
Yes I now go by “Brian”. I have been planning to do this forever and I’m so happy to finally do it. I was naive & I made a mistake. new year, new beginning, happy new years™️
— Brian (@iambrianimanuel) January 1, 2018
The teenage rap sensation has admittedly taken issue with his name for some time. In a June 2017 interview with the New York Times, he stated he “regrets” naming himself Rich Chigga, expressing distaste for the racially charged humor behind that name.
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“That’s really why I hate it,” he said. “It has race in it.”
The single “See Me” also signifies a change. It’s more personal and reflective than Brian’s previous work and strays away from the comedy-based persona fans saw on “Dat $tick.” His debut album, Amen, is expected to arrive on February 2.
Listen to “See Me” below.
