In February 2016, millions watched a 16-year-old Brian Imanuel microwave #bread. Less than six months later, Grammy-nominated rapper Goldlink called him “the future” of rap. Goldlink had just been shown a video of the Indonesian meme artist’s debut single “Dat $tick” – a distorted and wildly offensive trap cut (Imanuel raps under the name ‘Rich Ch***a’ and uses the n-word – mistakes which he has since apologised for) which treads the line between satire and genuine artistry. Still, the video contained glimpses of real talent – seeds which have now reached fruition with the release of Imanuel’s third studio album, Where Is My Head?.

Imanuel is now 25. He has changed his name to Rich Brian, moved to LA, and cemented himself as a crown jewel of the 88rising label, which has overseen the ascendance of East Asian talents like Joji, Higher Brothers and Niki to global stardom. In many ways, Goldlink was proved right – today, Rich Brian’s rap ability is undeniable. But the new release marks the Indonesian rap star grasping at something beyond viral figures: he’s searching for stable ground. 

“Maturing and growing up forced me to step away for a little bit,” Imanuel tells Dazed, reflecting on the six years that have elapsed since his last full-length release. “I realised that I have so many stories that are so unique to my life that I haven’t told. I think they’ve always wanted to come out, but I just didn’t have the pen to translate it until this album.” With production contributions from Imanuel himself, Where Is My Head? casts the teen star retracing his steps to the present, from an adolescence spent chronically online, to moving to the US in pursuit of a music career, to recovering from a manic episode and reconnecting with his homeland in Indonesia.

One track in particular embodies this vulnerable turn in his career. On “Timezones”, Imanuel chronicles his tumultuous relationship with the internet, which not only introduced him to the English language and hip hop, but also to his first girlfriend. On the track, Imanuel describes how the pair met on Vine when he was 15 and she was 17. Despite her being based in Maryland, America, they began video calling daily and even exchanged the dreaded L word, but Imanuel ended up heartbroken when she cheated on him in her first week at college. “If you’re listening I hope you know I’m not even pissed,” he raps on the six-minute epic. “Because if you hadn’t [told me], I wouldn’t have gone out to the club and got my very first kiss.” 

The track reframes Imanuel’s later online notoriety – rather than pure ragebait, it suggests that his shenanigans were at least partly the product of loneliness. “I look back on that time with a lot of love,” he reflects. “I was attracted to online spaces because I was homeschooled and didn’t have friends in real life. Those old photos and videos I put out were pure self-expression of an introverted child who was a little weirdo and had nowhere else to channel it but on the internet.”

In light of experiences like these, it’s not hard to see why Imanuel is now struggling to find his head in his mid-twenties – he went from isolation to the biggest rapper Indonesia has ever produced overnight. On the new project, this soul-searching sees Imanuel incorporate R&B into his signature rap formula. “Throughout my entire career, I’ve always bounced back and forth between those two worlds,” he explains of the sonic direction of the project. “I’ve always loved coming up with melodies, but I can never leave the rap behind, and I think on this album I really figured out the right balance and how to weave in and out of those extreme opposites.”

As for whether any of this has actually helped him find his head, though, Imanuel is hesitant to say. “I’m still trying,” he concludes. “I need to find a new therapist.” At the very least, however, it’s a more mature means of dealing with his problems than microwaving #bread.

Below, in light of his introspective new album Where Is My Head?, the Indonesian internet-celebrity-turned-rap star picks out five of his current online obsessions (and, all of the above notwithstanding, he definitely hasn’t lost his taste for memes). 

FAVE TWEET

FAVE INSTAGRAM

FAVE UNDERGROUND MUSIC SCENE

Rich Brian: I think more people need to explore the Indo dangdut-breakbeat scene, it’s so unique and addicting.

FAVE HARDWARE

Rich Brian: When I was extremely young one of my first core memories was looking at a fiber optic glowing wand toy thing, it’s really random and I only learned recently when I saw what fiber optic looked like and I had a Ratatouille flashback of that moment, I just remembered being so mesmerised by it.

FAVE FILM

Rich Brian: Kick-Ass is kind of the perfect film for me, from story and music to visual aesthetic. It’s so well executed.

Where Is My Head? is out now