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Over the years, the term Afrobeats, which refers to a West African pop style that fuses dancehall, rap, and R&B with traditional African rhythms, has been controversial, with some artists dismissing it as too vague. Afrobeats is not the same genre as the Afrobeat of the sixties and seventies pioneered by Fela Kuti, who fused Yoruba and Ghanaian highlife with American funk and jazz – it is defined primarily by its assimilative nature, borrowing sounds from across the African diaspora and creating compositions with a contemporary feel. The style-shifting singer and rapper Rema was one of the first to not only embrace Afrobeats’ influence and identify as an advocate for it, but also to dedicate his efforts to pushing the style forward.
Photo by Adrienne Raquel
The Benin City-born musician grew up surrounded by Nigeria’s fledgling pop scene, which developed from the foundations laid in the early 2000s by Mo’ Hits Records, founded by pioneering pop artists Don Jazzy and D’Banj. In 2019, at the age of nineteen, Rema signed to Jazzy’s subsequent venture, Mavin Records, and has since continued to follow the spirit of Mo’ Hits to its logical conclusion; his sound is seamless, taking a holistic approach to crafting pop songs with smooth vocals, rap cadences, subtle yet dynamic rhythms and warm production, creating a product that is not so much “genreless” as cross-cultural, informed by a deep knowledge of music history. Rema’s unique style has been a catalyst for the efforts of fusion artists like Wizkid and Burna Boy, and he’s come to epitomize the genre’s fusion appeal. It’s paid off—his 2022 single “Calm Down” was remixed with Selena Gomez, the biggest African pop song of all time. The hit became the cornerstone of the deluxe edition of Rema’s debut album, Rave & Roses, and established him as the crown prince of Afropop.
Rema, not content to simply fit into the pantheon created by his predecessors, has since sought to push the boundaries of his chosen style. His 2024 album HEIS is another landmark work in the Afrobeat world. It has a unique sound: dark and disruptive, full of squelching tones and energetic vocal performances, mixing orchestral grandeur, eerie synth progressions and powerful rhythms. The record feels like the next evolution of the Afrobeat sound, delivered by someone who is deeply immersed in its past and future. On May 2, Rema will celebrate the style at Madison Square Garden. — Sheldon Pierce
Sourse: newyorker.com
