Divine Ikubor (born 1 May 2000), known professionally as Rema, is a Nigerian rapper, singer and songwriter. He gained initial recognition following the release of his 2019 song "
Dumebi". That same year, he signed with
D'Prince's record label,
Jonzing World.[3] He received wider recognition for his 2022 single "
Calm Down", which spawned a remix with American singer
Selena Gomez that peaked at number three on the
Billboard Hot 100,[4] and led the United States
Afrobeats Songs chart for a record-setting 58 weeks.[5]
Early life
Divine Ikubor was born into a
Christian family in
Benin City,
Edo State, Nigeria.[6] He grew up singing and rapping while he was in secondary school. He attended his primary and secondary school education at Ighile Group of Schools in Edo State.[7] His father and elder brother are deceased, and Rema was left to look after his mother.[1]
Career
He started his music career in churches with Alpha P. In 2018. Rema posted a viral freestyle on
Instagram to
D'Prince's track "Gucci Gang". The post caught the attention of D'Prince who flew him to
Lagos to offer a record deal to the young talent.[8] Rema signed a record deal with D'Prince's
Jonzing World, a subsidiary of
Mavin Records owned by record producer
Don Jazzy, in 2019.[9] He went on to release his self-titled debut EP "Rema" in 2019, which peaked at number 1 on
Apple Music Nigeria.[10][11] On 21 May 2019,
Jonzing World, and
Mavins released the music video of "Dumebi", a major breakout song from his self-titled EP, featuring a cameo appearance from
Diana Eneje. The video was directed by Ademola Falomo and currently has 70 million views on
YouTube.[12] Later that summer, In 2019, one of his other most popular songs from the EP gained more popularity when it was placed on former president of the United States of America,
Barack Obama's summer playlist.[7]
In September 2020, Rema's songs were included on the FIFA 21 soundtracks.[13][14]
In September 2021, Rema was unveiled as a brand ambassador for the popular soft drink
Pepsi alongside his label mate
Ayra Starr.[15]
In February 2023, Rema received the Digital Artist of the Year award at the Soundcity MVP Awards which were held at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.[28] In April 2023, Rema released a version of his debut album Rave & Roses titled Rave & Roses Ultra containing an additional six tracks: "Charm", "Hov", "Reason You", the remix of "Calm Down" with Selena Gomez, "Holiday", and "Dunno Me", which became the first African album to cross one billion streams on
Spotify.[citation needed]
On 26 October 2023, Rema released a 5-title EP named Ravage.[29] On 30 October 2023, Rema performed at the
Ballon d'Or ceremony which was held at
Theatre du Châtelet in Paris, France.[30]
In May 2021, Rema announced he would be calling his sound "Afrorave", a subgenre of
Afrobeats with influences of Arabian and Indian music which has led to him having one of the strongest fanbases in the country known as Ravers.[33][34]
Personal life
Although Ikubor gained admission to study at the
University of Lagos in 2022, he left the institution in 2023 due to a strike by the
ASUU teaching union.[35][36]
On 28 September 2020, Rema
tweeted accusations against the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the death of his father, Justice Ikubor, who was a former chieftain of the party.[37][38]
Impact
Rolling Stone said "Rema has undoubtedly and proudly become an emblem of
Afrobeats global rise."[39] Writing for Business Day Anthony Udugba remarked Rema has "expanded the horizons" of African musical impact on the global stage.[40]The Guardian Nigeria opined "As the
Afrobeats landscape continues to flourish, Rema’s success sets a high standard, showcasing the global appeal and dominance of Nigerian music on the international stage."[41]The Native stated "It’s impossible to erase the mark he has left on Afrobeats history."[42]Victor Okpala said "Rema’s sound has cemented his place as a true musical trailblazer."[43] Many
critics have praised him for breaking barriers and inspiring other African music artists.[44][45][46]
^[I abandoned UNILAG admission because of ASUU strike – Rema "I abandoned UNILAG admission because of ASUU strike – Rema"]. Vanguard. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023. {{
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