We’re pretty sure this National Day-themed video is not modeling the Singaporean values of camaraderie, tolerance, and cooperation. In the viral comedy video, two too-real aunties get seriously fierce in their gangsta rap face-off, complete with threatening, um, gestures over who makes the best sambal chicken.
The adorable “Makcik Halijah” and “Aunty Bee Li” look like they could have been your pre-school teacher, your sweet older neighbor, or your own mum. Until they start a rap-fight worthy of a gritty prison flick, about whose special sambal recipe reigns supreme and whose is garbage by comparison.
Their egos are on the line, and these ladies are not above getting personal.
“You think your sambal’s so good?” Makcik asks. “Doesn’t even look like food.”
Owned!
But then in a twist we didn’t expect, we find out the Epic Rap Battles style video is actually an ad for fast-food chain Texas Chicken.
And what’s worse? We don’t even get to find out who wins.
That’s right, a third matronly figure interrupts their brawl, slams their noisy bickering, and then resolves the dispute by announcing that — wait for it — Texas Chicken actually makes some pretty awesome sambal.
An American fast food company wants to cash in on Singapore’s national holiday, toying with our emotions by using our beloved dish against us? Making people choose sides between a Malay makcik and a Chinese auntie? And they think this will make us want to choose their sambal?
No Texas Chicken, not this time.
Maybe your sambal chicken is good. Okay, maybe it’s very good. Maybe we’d even pick some up on the way home late at night after a few drinks. Maybe we’d even buy a little more than we’re planning to eat tonight because we don’t feel like going to the market before dinner tomorrow.
But there is no need to insult our homemade chicken just to elevate your own. If anything, your sambal chicken should stand on its own merit, and not tear down other people’s.
We think you owe our beloved aunties an apology.
In the meantime, you can make amends by sending some of that National Day chicken to our office just in case we get hungry. Thanks.
