Rema, the singer, has stated that his contributions to Afrobeats have not received adequate appreciation.
Rema, who has only been in the music industry for three years, stated in a recent interview on The Breakfast Club that his hard work has gone unnoticed.
The singer said: “People just want you to strive so hard before they can give you your flowers.”
“I think the success came too quickly that some people wish I didn’t get it too quick.
“You know when they want to give you respect but you have to be 10 years in the game, I feel like my career didn’t play according to those rules.
“And I was already breaking seven-year career records in just three years in the game. I already went international from my first EP.
“People have the mind frame of seeing you striving for 10 years. Why do I need to? There is something called grace though.”
The host asked Rema if he believes he should be included in conversations about the top three Afrobeats artistes (Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy).
The ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker responded by saying: “Respect to the OGs, but I am one of them”.
“My impact in Afrobeats has been huge. Something as little as major award shows creating an Afrobeats category because of the success of my song has already opened gates,” he added.
“It’s not just about hit songs, but the impact on the journey of Afrobeats to the world.
“Must I be 30 years old to give me that flower? Times have changed.”
Rema was born Divine Ikubor and signed with D’Prince’s Jonzing World, a Mavin Records subsidiary, in 2019.
Rema’s smash single ‘Calm Down’ with Selena Gomez won the first ‘Best Afrobeats’ category at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in 2023.
Spotify named him one of the top-exported artists in Sub-Saharan Africa last year.
Rema’s sophomore album ‘He Is’ achieved the highest first-week Spotify Nigeria streams in 2024.
The 24-year-old artist has already declared himself on par with the ‘Afrobeats Big 3’.
Rema stated, “I did not know Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy five years ago,” and did not see any reason to prioritize them.
