The Indonesian rapper first became a social media sensation when he released a music video titled "Dat $tick" in 2016. You might recognise him more when he went by his previous moniker, Rich Chigga.
Dressed in khaki shorts, polo shirts and wearing a fanny pack, Imanuel and his friends are seen pouring liquor, waving guns and dabbing in the video that went viral throughout Asia and all the way to the United States. The music video has over 85 million views to date!
Despite the catchy track and Imanuel's troll-like character, the video left a sour taste in the mouth for some people because it was seen as mocking the hip-hop culture.
His original 'Chigga' nickname also came off as offensive to many because, well, just put two and two together and you'll figure out why.
If you don't get it, you can just slide into our DMs.
So, the 18-year-old decided to welcome 2018 by changing his stage name to Rich Brian because even though the music video came off like a parody, he actually wants to represent hip-hop more seriously rather than remain as an internet celebrity.
Imanuel moved from Jakarta to Los Angeles in July last year to pursue his music further and release his debut album, 'Amen'. The talented teenager produced almost all the songs in the entire album under the Asian management label 88rising.
“It’s super tight seeing people be like, ‘You make this seem possible,’" he told Billboard in an interview.
“It’s not even just Asian people, but teens and kids my age that are homeschooled.”
However, Rich Brian doesn't want people to focus on his ethnicity, but rather, his music. So don't refer to him as 'that Asian rapper' when he makes it big in the international hip-hop scene!
Brian Imanuel's 'Amen' album is now available on iTunes and Spotify.
Meanwhile, watch him demonstrate how to microwave a bread because this is an actual skill you need in the kitchen.