Rema said he sees himself as one of Afrobeats’ greatest artistes.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stones, the ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker clarified his previous statement about Nigeria’s top four artistes, which included himself.
The 24-year-old emphasized that his confidence is not arrogance, but rather a reflection of his hard work and dedication to his craft.
He also questioned why it’s a problem for him to declare himself the best, citing that it’s even humble to acknowledge the existence of other greats.
Referencing Kendrick Lamar’s famous diss line, Rema distinguished his intentions, stating that he advocates for the unity of Afrobeats, rather than seeking to tear others down.
“So on ‘Heis’, I was talking a lot of s**t. It is not cocky. It is like what stops you from saying you’re the best? You can say it and stand your ground. It is even humble to say four,” he said.
“I didn’t pull down the two, I didn’t pull down the three. I just see myself as one of the greats, and it’s a problem. I’m not saying oh f**k everybody. It is different from what Kendrick said: ‘It’s just big me’. I really vouch for the unity of Afrobeats.”
Born Divine Ikubor, Rema signed with D’Prince’s Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Records, in 2019.
His hit song ‘Calm Down’, featuring Selena Gomez, won the first ‘Best Afrobeats’ category at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in 2023.
Spotify also recognised him as one of the most exported artistes who dominated last year’s charts in sub-Saharan Africa.
Rema’s sophomore album ‘HeIs‘ set the record for the biggest first-week streams on Spotify Nigeria in 2024.
