His Musicial journey started in 2018, when Divine Ikubor (Rema) recorded a viral freestyle over “Gucci Gang,” a local hit by Nigerian artist D’Prince.
Sitting in a car, wearing a maroon jacket, the self-proclaimed “modern-world David” delivered a sequence of rapid bars, punctuated by spurts of melody, that’s since been viewed nearly 500,000 times on Instagram.
Soon, he had a string of hits that have made him one of the most exciting acts in the ascendent Afrobeats genre, with a signature sound that combines comic-book references, horny longing, teenage jealousy, trap beats, and melodic avalanches.
It’s a blend that’s caught the attention of everyone from Drake’s manager, Oliver El-Khatib, to Barack Obama, who put Rema’s irresistibly catchy “Iron Man” on his 2019 Summer Playlist. “It was amazing being the only Nigerian artist there. I don’t know anybody in the White House or in the American government,” Rema says in disbelief.
“How did my music walk so far to his doorstep?”
Rema grew up in a family of six in Benin City, the capital of Nigeria’s Edo state.
“It’s an ancient city,” he says. “It’s still deep in culture, very deep, traditional.” At its founding centuries ago, he says, “Nigeria was not a country, but we had a kingdom. We had a movement.”
He first got into music at his hometown’s Christ of Mercy church, where he was installed as a youth leader for a program called “Rap Nation” that taught kids how to rap for the congregation. “If I look back, I wasn’t really that good,” he says.
In 2008, Rema’s father died; seven years later, so did Rema’s brother. The financial hardship those losses placed on him, his mother, and two sisters led to a yearlong move to Ghana. “No money was coming in,” he says. “We were hungry. I was the only man in the house. I had to do something.”
He returned to Benin City a changed man, drawing on the secular influences he’d absorbed during his year in Ghana: “When I took that break I saw life — like, real life.” The day after his “Gucci Gang” freestyle, he received a call from D’Prince, who invited him to Lagos, Nigeria, and offered him a record deal.
Rema moved there the next day. “I was like, ‘This is my only chance,’” he says. “I had to prove myself.
At that time, I had no Afrobeats songs — strictly hip-hop, strictly trap. D’Prince started pitching some Afrobeats to me, and I started vibing.”
Even as his career keeps growing — his biggest hit, the bubbly, melodic “Dumebi,” has more than 20 million streams on Spotify — Rema is still adjusting to his newfound fame and wealth. “I still do my best to try and stay away from people,” Rema says. “I can’t just walk in and say hi to everybody.
It’s not because I’m proud. It’s because I’m shy. I have a lot inside me, but sometimes I can’t actually speak.”
He was discovered by D’Prince who is currently the Chief Executive Officier of Jonzingworld Record and also the immediate younger brother to Nigerian billionaire artiste and producer Don Jazzy, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mavin Records.
According to the words of D’Prince; “When I first heard Rema’s work I knew this was an artist I wanted the entire world to listen to. His talent and artistry are so far beyond his years.”
D’Prince moves to discover more artists alongside Mavin Global.
D’Prince also stated that this will be people with exceptional talents like Rema.
D’Prince was the one that introduced Rema to Don Jazzy and had him signed a contract record deal with Mavin Records and Jonzingworld Record in late 2018.
According to the words of Mavin Records boss Don Jazzy; “Rema is a formidable young artist.
With his skill and versatility, he has a unique place in the future of Afro beats.
At the same time, we are excited to launch our first imprint deal with Jonzing World” Don Jazzy revealed this during a press briefing.
According to Don Jazzy; “The model will expand the number of ways the Mavin platform can support artists and entrepreneurship in Africa to grow together at home and internationally” he stated.
Rema recently released his first hit single “Iron Man” which is currently trending in Nigeria and rest of the world.
He is currently signed to Mavin’s Records, owned by Don Jazzy and Jonzingworld Records, owned by D’ Prince.
Rema is currently one of the richest and most influential artist in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $500,000.
Sources : Rollingstone and Austine Media
