TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - National Taiwan University (NTU) medical student and rapper Tseng Ding-Yuan (曾鼎元), who goes by the stage name Mad Neuron (神經元), dropped his new album in April despite studying medicine full time. 

Tseng is known for excelling academically while also being an up-and-coming rapper in Taiwan’s hip hop scene. He scored in the top 12 nationwide in the 2018 Advanced Subjects Test (AST), Taiwan’s college entrance exam, and enrolled in the highly competitive medical program at the prestigious NTU.

Tseng felt consumed by schoolwork and lacked direction, so he took a gap year to explore other opportunities. This is an unconventional decision in Taiwan, where students face intense pressure to follow the standard educational timeline.

Speaking to Taiwan News, Tseng reflected on societal expectations, saying, “I strongly dislike the term ‘responsibility,’ like when people say you have a responsibility to your family or the community. I think it’s a restriction imposed by people, like emotional blackmail by the larger society. If there is something else I want to pursue, why must I conform to traditional schooling?"

Tseng made a name for himself when he competed in the TV show “MTV The Rappers Season 2” in January 2023. He performed his song “NTU Med School Freestyle,” where he rapped about NTU medical students, and placed in the top 28 out of 80 contestants in the show, selected from 2,000 applicants.

However, Mad Neuron’s rap journey has not been without a few speed bumps. Tseng faced controversy over a lyric in "NTU Med School Freestyle": “You gotta score high to get into NTU, multiply some people’s scores by 1.35, and they still aren’t as high as mine.” This lyric refers to Indigenous people in Taiwan who receive bonus points on their college entrance exams. 

Then, in April, Tseng was scheduled to perform at NTU’s graduation banquet but canceled his performance the week before. Tseng explained that NTU had requested he change two songs from his setlist due to fears of a backlash over controversial lyrics. Tseng agreed to change the songs, but then NTU requested he provide all the lyrics for his setlist for review.

“NTU, which loves to boast about its freedoms, requires song lyrics to be reviewed? How laughable,” Tseng said. At that point, he declined to perform.

Tseng dropped his most recent album, “Penrose Stairs,” on April 10. The stairs symbolize the perpetual pursuit of desires and competition in life.

According to Mad Neuron, “We pursue the best education, then the best job with the most money, and then we compare our kids’ achievements. At a certain point, you feel empty, like what are you really chasing?” 

“Don’t keep pursuing a purpose in life,” Tseng advised. “Instead, focus on existing in the present.”

Tseng’s album also explores the concept of happiness. Tseng said he believes happiness does not always come from fulfilling one’s desires or achieving great success, it also occurs in simple moments, such as watching a happy family crossing the street. 

Taking time off allowed Tseng to rediscover his passion for life. “I don’t seek to compete with others anymore. I just exist and do what I like, and I’m much happier now,” he said.

Tseng has since returned to his medical studies while continuing to work on his music. He is often asked how he balances medical school and rap.

“Frankly, there is no way to be the best in both. You learn to prioritize and make sacrifices. Sometimes I give up performances to prepare for important medical assignments. Other times, if I have a big rap project to work on, I push off busy work in the medical department.”

Tseng’s advice for those hesitant to explore their passions is, “Everyone is afraid of the unknown, but that is what makes life interesting. And only you can push yourself forward.”

Watch the full Taiwan News interview with Tseng below.