See why Nigerian star Rema is our latest artist you need to know
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.
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.
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.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'New Mutants' Finally Lands New August 2020 Release DateThe horror-themed superhero movie was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »
'New Mutants' Finally Lands New August Release DateFox's XMen spinoff NewMutants has finally gotten a new release date after it was taken off the spring 2020 calendar due to the coronavirus pandemic
Read more »
The New Mutants Now Has Its Fifth Release DateThe long-delayed superhero movie will supposedly arrive from Disney this summer.
Read more »
'The First Time' With Shameik Moore.shameikmoore talks working with RZA, his favorite superhero and more in the latest installment of The First Time
Read more »
5 Pieces Our Editors Love from Montreal-Based Brand Judith & CharlesMontrea womenswear brand Judith & Charles has made an impassioned plea for help amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's our favourite pieces from the brand.
Read more »
When will the final episodes of 'General Hospital' air and when will production restart?'General Hospital' is about to become the latest soap opera to run out of new episodes after production shut down on the ABC drama.
Read more »