KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — For more than a decade, Rabbit Mac has been a defining name in Malaysia’s underground hip-hop scene. Known for his work with Psycho Unit (later PU4LYF Entertainment), he built a reputation for blending Tamil rap with a distinct Malaysian swagger.
But by 2022, Rabbit had faded from the spotlight, his career derailed by personal struggles and industry politics.
Now, he is back with Watch Me, the official soundtrack for the American mixed martial arts film American Warrior, starring Hollywood veteran Danny Trejo, model-turned-actor Andrew Gray, and Vishy Ayyar, directed by Gustavo Martin Benites.
It is the first time a Malaysian rapper has composed and produced a soundtrack for a theatrically released American film.
The film, featuring an international cast, is currently streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, with a theatrical release under discussion.
For Rabbit, this is more than just another track. It is his comeback.
From NFTs to Hollywood
Rabbit Mac, whose real name is Charles John Macallum, said the story of Watch Me actually began on Twitter.
In 2022, he had ventured into NFTs, releasing digital artwork under the moniker “Bhad Bunny”. The project unexpectedly took off, netting him nearly RM150,000 in sales before the NFT market crashed the following year. Among his buyers was American producer Naveen Chathappuram.
“At first, I thought it was a scam when he tried to get in touch,” Rabbit admitted.
“He called me and I saw an American number and thought, what’s going on here? My wife at the time said, you should give it a go and not be so sceptical — which I did.
“Naveen, after checking my profile and chatting about NFTs, asked about my music. That’s when I found out he was legit. He was well connected and a big player in the Hollywood movie scene. He was the producer and director of The Last Victim starring Ron Perlman, Ali Larter and Ralph Ineson.
“In fact, I found out later that Naveen was the one who discovered Marvel’s Thor, Chris Hemsworth, and brought him into the movie world.”
Naveen is the founder and president of Immortal Thoughts, a Chicago-based production company with more than a dozen projects in development. His credits include CA$H (2010), which introduced Hemsworth to Hollywood; Night of the Living Dead: Origins with producer Simon West; Netflix sitcom Brown Nation; and most recently The Last Victim (2022).
With no proper studio at the time, Rabbit set up his gear in his kitchen.
“After deciding to work with them, I was moving homes, so I set up in the makeshift kitchen and made the entire beat there,” he laughed.
“When I submitted the masters around April 2024, they called me right away and said, ‘Bro, I felt goosebumps. This is the one.’”
Hanumankind exploded onto the global rap scene with his viral track ‘Big Dawg’, earning praise from some of hip-hop’s top names. — Picture via Instagram
The missed chance with Hanumankind
Although Rabbit produced the beat, he initially did not intend to rap on it.
“I told them, maybe get some big US rappers to do the verses. I’d just handle the music,” he said.
He first approached Malaysian rapper Malique from Too Phat, but the timing clashed with Malique’s projects. Naveen then suggested a young Indian rapper, Hanumankind.
“When I first saw the name, I thought, no way. But then I checked his freestyles — bro, they were power. I told Naveen, okay lah, let’s get him,” Rabbit recalled.
“We waited two months and after trying to follow up found out he got caught up with his tour. So we had to move on.”
Within a year, Hanumankind exploded onto the global rap scene with his viral track Big Dawg, earning praise from some of hip-hop’s top names.
“Imagine if Hanumankind was on Watch Me,” Rabbit reflected.
“No one expected him to blow up like that with Big Dawg. If he’d been on this track it probably would have blown up a million times faster. We just missed it.”
Instead, the feature went to American rapper Amore Jones.
“He had fewer followers, but his writing, his vibe — I felt it,” Rabbit said.
“Even though he was fresh, I knew he was the perfect fit and I loved his style.”
Silence and struggles
Behind the scenes, Rabbit was grappling with personal turmoil.
In 2022, he went through a divorce after seven years of marriage, which meant time apart from his son.
“It broke me,” he admitted. “I had to take a break from everything.”
At the same time, cracks appeared in PU4LYF Entertainment, the label he co-founded.
“There was internal strife. People I trusted wanted to start their own thing. It killed my confidence,” he said.
For someone who had been prolific in the late 2010s — dropping tracks, collaborating widely, and building a loyal fanbase — the silence was crushing.
“I thought, you know what, forget it. I’m not going to involve myself in music anymore.”
A comeback he didn’t plan
Rabbit insists his return was not part of a strategy.
“Because, to be really honest, bro, I’m not ready,” he admitted.
“In my mind, I’m still living with the nightmare. I thought, if this song is out, people will have expectations from me.”
But when Watch Me dropped, the response stunned him.
“You see, bro, how things work… When this song came out, people were, like… I got the highest engagements. My Instagram insights hit millions. It blew up,” he said.
The wave of attention gave him momentum. Rabbit is now lining up several follow-ups.
“After Watch Me, right now, I have almost four to five projects stacked up. They’re about to be released this year. So I think my fans are going to have a big, super treat,” he said.
And he is clear about who he’s doing it for.
“To be really, really honest, I can see their response… This is 100 per cent for the fans only. I’m not even doing this for me. This is 101 per cent for my fans,” he said firmly.
His followers, whom he calls the “Fantastics”, had never stopped pushing him.
“For five years, I’d get DMs — ‘Anne, when are you dropping new music?’ Even when I posted brand campaigns or vacation photos, people would comment, ‘Okay bro, enough of this, drop your single already,’” he laughed.
Now, with Watch Me out and new projects on the way, Rabbit is embracing the moment.
“Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be. Nature or God pushed me back into music, and now I’m here.”
Rabbit’s next project is the OST for the upcoming Malaysian film Banduan, starring Datuk Aaron Aziz and Datuk Mohamed Noor Shamsuddin, better known as Rosyam Nor. Directed by Kroll Azry, it is a remake of the 2019 Tamil blockbuster Kaithi (“Prisoner”).
For now, Rabbit is simply grateful for a second wind he never expected.
