I have always envied Rema.
In a “good” and non-obvious way.
Is this feeling mutual?
First, let me talk about what I feel about my Rema envy and emotions in general.
I don’t think there’s any bad or evil emotion.
Society has demonized innocent parts of us.
Some of these sides of just show that we are human, and there’s nothing wrong about them.
Anger, sadness, fear, jealousy, envy, pride and all those unsavory feelings are not bad in themselves.
They’re perfectly normal1.
What’s bad is how we choose to express them.
And it’s the same for the so-called positive emotions. You could be so overjoyed that you drink yourself to stupor or jump into a busy highway.
People should not be cajoled into hiding or repressing their emotions. Rather, they should learn to “transmute” them.
That is, use them in ways that uplift themselves and people around them.
How?
The fear of poverty can produce entrepreneurial ambition, anger at some injustice can lead to activism and societal change, pride in one’s work is the natural result of dedication.
See?
I have seen this transmutation well in musical artistes and works:
For example, the late XXXTentacion turned his depressing heartbreaks into deeply resonating songs and a cult-like fanbase,
And rapper Kendrick Lamar has created masterpieces out of the blood-stained pavements of his native Compton. He has spread his addictions, weaknesses and vulnerabilities on the proverbial cloth line, with scarily introspective, cinematic songwriting.
But this is not what Rema has done exactly.
The transmutation, I mean.
This is what my envy for Rema is about.
Let’s start from the beginning.
It was Iron Man.
His first song made me a fan. No cap. I should write a review worshipping that track.
Iron Man made it to Obama’s 2019 playlist. The beginning of global greatness in the beginning,
OK. Some of my raver credentials are that I:
1. binged the YouTube freestyle videos (including the one that got him discovered by D’Prince)
2. binged the radio and music outfit interviews
3. defended the nonsensical lyrics of Dumebi
4. trapped ALL the trap songs
One day on my way to school, a song played on the bus radio. I could tell it was Rema. I crammed words from the song, went through school, got back home at the end of the day, then googled the song using the lyrics.
Spaceship Jocelyn is a Rema-esque grail.
I and my immediate younger brother had Rema EP, Rema Freestyle EP and Bad Commando EP in our heads.
Word for word.
Our baby brother was just one. He was bred on Mom’s milk and Rema2
Those were the times when he was misunderstood. Or, most misunderstood.
People around me said he “didn’t really sing about anything” and that his vocals were from Bollywood.
I played advocate flawlessly.
“Another banger”
Well, Rema didn’t care.
He didn’t care about the trap songs that “everyone” thought were “wack” or about his Indian-sounding vocal style, or that Dumebi his first major hit, didn’t have real words to it.
And people like this have always been endearing to me.
People who don’t care.
People who are true to their selves and their art and do what they want despite what the world says.
People who genuinely don’t give a f*.
That’s what I envy.
I say I don’t care. And sometimes I really don’t.
But I still haven’t completely shaken off the what people will think thing.
It sucks.
You can stand out
There was a time I used to publicize this quote:
Why blend in when you can stand out?
I believe it with every sinew in my soul.
I can be different. Because I am different. Unique.
It’s why I champion innovation everywhere. I am obsessed with the new because it is the best different.
I am 1 of 1. No replica or copy. And any imitation is forgery.
I strive to leave a PaulMaahesque quality. A personal, unmistakable touch.
Thing is, Rema lives this in a way that I admire. In a way that I envy.
The art of Rema-ology
I’d just watch videos of him performing:
His dreadlocks whirling round like a copter’s fan as he bounced on stage. He’d tear his shirt off and swing the thing in his hand like a raggedy flag,
He’d grip the mic like his soul was inside of it.
He swam in the attention and the stage lights bathing his sweat-coated form and the thousands echoing his lines.
I didn’t care about whatever the f* happens behind those glorious scenes.
There and then, he was happy.
He was doing his do.
Arting his art.
I wanted that happiness in my life.
The happiness that comes from doing what you really want to do. From doing your do.
And when Rema became really hot sh*t, I was glad. Happy to see the accolades roll in.
When his song got into FIFA,
The Ballon D’Or performance,
Guy, and Calm Down. Yes. Calm Down.
God.
That sh*t didn’t calm down.
“The most-streamed African-led track of all time.”
You might have a sensory overload if I write about how proud I still feel.
My Remmy boy.
These days, it’s like,
See ‘small’ Rema oh. Rema of 2’19 …
Omo, just five years. Wetin I been dey do? I been dey read book. LOL.
We could say he is lucky.
He’s managed by Mavins Records, one of the biggest Nigerian record labels, so he’s a star child. Music royalty.
But the fact that his success is not replicated to most of his label mates tell me that there is a personal dimension to his success.
He has been very motivating for me.
To just do your sh*t. And being militant about what you want. And working your ass off.
He's always very true to himself
And I think to me, he is original
Rema never comes and says
"Oh, this person is doing this or that, want to do it"
Monologue from Dunno Me (Freestyle)
The evolution
So that night I half-listened to HEIS. It had just dropped hours before.
It was gruff.
Rough.
I didn’t particularly like it. My brother sighed in the morning3.
I saw generally negative reviews that first day, but it seems to be changing.
HEIS is deeply polarizing. I think it’s the kind of album you either like or you don’t.
It is bold. It is ballsy. Doesn’t pander to the dictates of genre.
His voice was dipped in this i-don’t-give-a-f* sauce. “I am doing what I want”.
I know I owe it more listens. I am confident I’ll turn out to like it4.
Maybe, I’ll love it. Or even become the biggest HEIS stan on the continent.
And maybe I won’t.
But even if I don’t like HEIS, it’d still be a great thing:
It’d be me being true to myself.
And not giving a f* if Rema will read this line.
PS: Showed my brother this doc. Told him that I just finished writing about Rema. I am laughing that it is > 1K words and I just wrote it today. He pushes his phone screen to my face. He is laughing. YAYO is on the screen. It’s playing on his airpods and he says I am playing Rema old while he’s playing Rema new …
I laugh.
Bro, what do you think, ehn? About the album …
CHOOOO. Rema is GOOOOOD!
LOL.
It’d be a sign that something is wrong if we didn’t feel those feelings, huh?
And Amaarae and Victony and Michael Jackson sha. Them plenty.
My brother is playing MARCH AM as I type this, God, hehehe
Should I have written this after more listens?