In this blog post, we mention some of the best Rema songs you can add to your music playlist. Crediting his parents for introducing him to Fela Kuti & 2Face, Rema draws influences far beyond West Africa with Bollywood, Trap, Dancehall, Afrobeats and Pop all becoming part of his trademark sound.
Bio: Who is Rema?
Rema (real name: Divine Ikubor) was born on May 1, 2000 in Benin City, Nigeria. He was forced to mature early on, after his father died from asthma-related issues when he was only 8 years old. Then, in 2015, his older brother passed away as well. In 2018, a bored Rema randomly decided to drop a front-seat freestyle to Afropop star D’Prince’s “Gucci Gang” on social media. The post got around, and Rema soon received a DM from D’Prince himself. D’Prince took the music to his older brother, Mavin Records founder Don Jazzy, and Rema was signed to one of the biggest powerhouse label in Nigeria. Later on, the singer and rapper was bolstered to new levels of recognition within days of releasing his debut self-titled EP, which housed multiple seminal hits. Rema has also maintained a consistent presence on Billboard‘s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart. Since the list launched in April, 2022 he has logged over 10 entries, along with Tems and Burna Boy. Rema has also collaborated with international artistes. He has featured with acts like Chris Brown on ‘Time N Affection,’ 6lack on ‘Hold Me,’ Yseult on ‘Wine’ and of course AJ Tracey on the ‘FYN‘ and with Selena Gomez on ‘Calm Down‘.
Best Afrobeat songs by Rema
1. Calm Down
“Calm Down” is a typical Afrobeats love song released as the second single off the artist’s album Rave & Roses. Rema is attempting to communicate how much he loves a girl and how her love is driving him insane, which is typical. Speaking with Glitch Africa, Rema stated that the song was inspired by a scenario of him meeting a girl at a party and trying to get to know her, which was quite difficult for him. According to him, the intense interaction left him with no option but to tell the said girl to “calm down,” an expression to “take things easy” and allow him to express how he really feels. The Afro-fusion tune, which was produced by Andre Vibez, became an instant favourite and has gone on to top charts and set many milestones, even on a global scale. The song shot to a hundred million views on YouTube in less than three months after it was released, making it an immediate hit. Later on, Rema enlisted the help of American pop star Selena Gomez for the remix of his successful song in an effort to achieve international recognition.
Stream “Calm Down”
2. Dumebi
“Dumebi” had been reported to attain Gold certification in France on the 5th of October, 2021 after selling over 100,000 units, equivalent to 15 million streams. It’s no surprise that this hit had earned huge followership in the Afrobeats scene. The latest to join in the frenzy being Drake and Rihanna who were seen vibing to the song. Directed by Ademola Falomo, the video for ‘Dumebi’ has none of the traits of the Nigerian pop music video: there are no shaking backsides, no expert choreographies, no crowded party scenes. Instead, the video is story-driven but with an off-kilter narrative style. A group of friends is on what seems like an excursion. Some tension exists between the character played by Rema and a girl we have to assume is the titular girl. For a few seconds, it appears the man and his crush will be together but that hope is extinguished at the last moment. There was also a Becky G-assisted remix to the Ozedikus-produced banger. While the catchy beat remains the same, Becky G adds a verse in Spanish, as well as a bridge which the pair harmonise.
Stream “Dumebi”
3. Soundgasm
“Soundgasm,” is a sensual dancehall-track laced with sticky beats and euphoric sexual innuendos. On it, Rema directly addresses his muse, candidly expressing his intentions to share salacious moments together. The new track is opened up by a soft arrangement of guitar strums, before Rema’s recognizable vocals pierce through. The rest of the Bobby Hanaford-directed music video sees Rema and his lady spending time in an intimate living room with nothing but a piano and sunlight with them.
Stream “Soundgasm”
4. Ginger Me
Rema released another hit song “Ginger Me”. In the Afropop track the artist sings about a confirmed and adult love, different from the adolescent relationships he often discusses. The smooth and groovy beat was produced by the UK-based producer duo The Elements. The song was conceived following a chance encounter with the producers, taking them on a late-night studio session that resulted in the track.
Stream “Ginger Me”
5. Fame
On “Fame“, Rema delivers a brief but sweet performance reflecting on how fame has changed his life. The song sees production come from Woodpecker, while Rema delivers wavy melodies reflecting on how fame has changed his life. Later on, the singer and rapper released his second performance of the song on the aesthetic music platform, COLORS. The song performed here is much refined version of the original. The first time Rema was on Colors TV, he performed ‘Bad Commando’.
Stream “Fame”
6. Rema x Rvssian – Beamer (Bad Boys)
Rema and Jamaican music producer Rvssian released their collaboration track, ‘Beamer (Bad Boys). The island-influenced record showcases the multiple women who like bad boys, like Rema. The visual features crisp, scenic shots directed by Fxrbes. Big sedans, grills aimed at his teeth, suspicious bag exchanges, the young Afrobeats prodigy plays the “bad boy”, and charms the feminine as the all-female chorus makes us understand. The track is the first single since the release of his 2019 EP Bad Commando.
Stream “Beamer (Bad Boys)” ft. Rvssian
7. Woman
“Woman” brings a hard hitting production with Rema’s soft vocals expressing his celebration and love for women. The visuals don’t disappoint as Rema is surrounded by women, continuing to display scenes of appreciation. The song is a beautifully done afrobeat song that marries the wonderful arrangements brought on by music producers, Ozedikus and BURSSBRAIN with Rema’s notable diverse lyrics and sound which ranges from and not limited to Trap, Afrobeats, Bollywood, Pop. The Nigerian artist first appeared on a Billboard chart in July 2020 with his track “Woman,” which reached No. 15 on World Digital Song Sales.
Stream “Woman”
8. Bounce
Rema unleashed a dance-ready track “Bounce” where he keeps it straight to the point with his lyrics, and unique delivery making the entire song worth a listen. The song is a very strong record built with the popular, notable South African Ampiano sound and Nigerian Afro-beat fusion interlocking, between. From the very listen of “Bounce”, it was obvious that this was one song that would be getting visuals, after all the subject matter, it’s one better appreciated in video and not audio.
Stream “Bounce”
9. Lady
“Lady” is an airy track with house-inspired production from Altims. It’s made up of harmonies that Rema deliveries mostly in pidgin. Hailed as a song for women all around the world, the video of ‘Lady’ was shot in East London and sees the Afropop prince blindfolded as he’s seduced by an alluring love interest. The music video, directed by Tadas Vanagas also features choreography from Sophia, which is performed throughout the video by a talented dancer who takes the spotlight. Rema appears later in the video, dressed in trendy streetwear as his love interest ties him up and serenades him.
Stream “Lady”
Honorable mentions
Connect with Rema
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