Award-winning Afrobeat singer Divine Ikubor, better known by his stage name Rema, has earned massive backlash for disrespecting Afrobeat giants Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid.
The singer, while performing at his sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden, US, brought out statues of Afrobeat giants Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid. In the clip, Rema was seen sitting with the big three as he made an entrance to the stage, thereby implying that he was a powerhouse just like his senior colleagues.
Not stopping there, the singer also declared that there were no more big three, but big four, as he made his way backstage.
His statement didn’t sit well with some, who found it disrespectful to the African giants.
Taking to Twitter, now known as X, Daniel Regha slammed him for subtly disrespecting them. Daniel stated that Rema can never be in the same league with the legends, as he made it known that there is a thin line between admiration and mockery.
He wrote,
“Rema will never be in the same league as Davido, Wizkid, or Burna. What he did, performing “Hehehe” next to their mannequins, isn’t entertainment but an act of subtle disrespect. His management should have known better, there’s a thin line between admiration and mockery. When it comes to the conversation about the Big 3, or even the Top 10, he’s not making such a list unless it’s a list of new artists from his time/era. No offence”.
Concurring with him, one Kiddiesspat.ng wrote, “I support Regha on this because why he dey claim big 4 when Olamide dey. But I’m sure he would have gotten their consent before doing this as well sha
One Urban vogue. closette, disagreeing, wrote, “Rema didn’t disrespect anyone. He showed respect by including the Big 3 in his moment. It was his way of saying, “I see those who came before me, and I’m here too”. That’s not disrespect, it’s growth
One young_d_the_beast wrote, “Rema competition is Asake period
One Miami_stark29 wrote, “But Daniel is right. He should find his own top 3, not add to an already made top 3 list and make it 4
One __uka01 wrote, “He has a point, work hard before the competition. Fans will give you your accolades
One Moss_kitchen wrote, “I agree”.
It isn’t surprising to see Rema declaring himself part of the Big 4. Last year, while addressing Nigerians concerning their popular Afrobeat conception, he revealed that there was no longer just the Big 3 but the Big 4, as he further stated that Afrobeat is bigger and better than anything else.
In 2023, Rema made history with his performance at the Ballon d’Or award, which was held in Paris, France. The Afrobeat singer stole the spotlight with his show-stopping performance as he thrilled guests with a beautiful rendition of his chart-topping song, ‘Calm Down’. His performance at Ballon D’or became a historic win for Nigeria, as the singer is the first Afrobeat artist to perform at the award ceremony.
Speaking on his influence in the music industry, Rema, while gracing the cover of I_d magazine stated that no one can deny that he has impacted Afrobeats on a global scale.
The Mavins singer couldn’t be wrong as the singer has put Nigerian on a big map. From performing in India to his top charting songs and making history as the first artist to perform at the Ballon d’Or award.
