Which brutal roman emperor is said to have been playing a lyre and singing while rome burned during the great fire of rome in 64 ad?

That's something that Nero is alleged to have done. In reality, while Nero was a tyrant, he actually personally helped the people who were working to put the fire out. What offended people was that he then used the fire as an excuse to "re-found" Rome in his own honor.

Dpolitical is the answer