Rema Sets the Record Straight on Misrepresented Comments About Nigerian Artists

Rema, the Afrobeats sensation, has stepped forward to clarify remarks attributed to him that appeared to criticize his peers in the music industry, addressing a burgeoning controversy that erupted in late February 2025. Rema found himself at the center of a misunderstanding after a snippet from his recent Dazed magazine interview was misconstrued on social media.

The controversy originated on February 28, when Album Talks, a popular music commentary account on X, posted a condensed version of Rema’s Dazed interview remarks. The post suggested that Rema had taken a broad swipe at Nigerian artists, implying that many were failing to authentically represent their cultural heritage in their work. 

The paraphrase, which read along the lines of “Rema says a lot of Afrobeats stars aren’t repping their heritage,” quickly gained traction, drawing mixed reactions from fans and igniting debate within Nigeria’s vibrant music community. Some interpreted it as a bold critique of the Afrobeats scene, while others questioned the fairness of such a generalization from one of its leading figures.

Sensing the narrative spiraling out of his control, Rema addressed the issue directly on March 1 via his X account. In a concise yet pointed tweet, he wrote, “In context of being one of the very few mainstream Artists from Benin. Stop the 🧢,” using the slang term “cap” to call out what he saw as falsehoods or exaggeration. 

His clarification emphasized that his original comments were not a blanket condemnation of Nigerian artists but rather a reflection on his unique position as a mainstream act hailing from Benin City, Edo State. Far from disparaging his peers, Rema aimed to highlight his personal mission to elevate his hometown’s cultural identity on the world stage a nuance lost in the abbreviated retelling.

The full context of the Dazed interview, published earlier in February, reveals a more introspective Rema. Speaking to the magazine, he elaborated on his pride in weaving Benin’s traditions into his music, a hallmark of his self-coined “Afrorave” sound that fuses Afrobeats with influences from his upbringing. 

He noted that while Afrobeats has become a global phenomenon propelled by artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido, few internationally recognized acts hail from Benin City, a historic cultural hub in Nigeria’s South-South region. 

“I’m carrying Benin on my back,” he reportedly said, underscoring his intent to spotlight his roots through tracks like “Ozeba” from his July 2024 album HEIS. The Album Talks snippet, however, stripped this specificity, framing his words as a broader critique and sparking the ensuing uproar.