Divine Ikubor (born May 1, 2000), professionally known as Rema, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and rapper. He rose to prominence with his 2019 single “Dumebi”. The same year, he joined D’Prince’s record company, Jonzing World. His 2022 single “Calm Down” produced a remix featuring American singer Selena Gomez, which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also topped the Billboard Afrobeats Songs list for a record-breaking 58 weeks.

That same year, he released his studio album, Rave & Roses (2022), which reached number 81 on the Billboard 200. Rema’s second album, Heis (2024), featured the track “Benin Boys” (featuring Shallipopi) and earned him his first Grammy Award nomination—for Best Global Music Album at the  67th Annual Grammy Awards. Rema is one of the top 10 richest musician in Nigeria Forbes List 2025

Rema Biography

Rema grew up in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. He hailed from a Christian family. His full name is Divine Ikubor. Life was difficult for him as a child. His father died in 2008, when he was eight years old. Soon, his older brother died. This left his mother to raise the family alone.

They resided in a low-income community. Rema has seen poverty every day. He attended Ighile Group of Schools in Benin City. His mother worked hard to support them. Rema has stated in interviews that these losses forced him to grow up quickly. By the age of 15, he felt compelled to perform as the man of the house.

Rema briefly migrated to Ghana. He wanted to find greater opportunities there. But he returned to Nigeria. His family background influenced his music. He frequently discusses his mother’s strength. When he became renowned, he bought her a Lexus RX 350 as a gift. Rema has siblings, but he keeps the details confidential.

Rema learnt to be strong through her early challenges. They also fuelled his desire to flourish in music. His songwriting is influenced by his roots in Benin City. He represents “Benin Boys” in his paintings. This section explains how his past shaped his character.

Career

Rema began his musical career by singing in churches with his colleague Alpha P in 2019. He rose to prominence after sharing a viral freestyle to D’Prince’s song “Gucci Gang” on Instagram. Impressed by his talent, D’Prince flew him to Lagos and offered him a record deal with Jonzing World, a Mavin Records subsidiary headed by music mogul and producer Don Jazzy.

His self-titled debut EP, released in 2019, topped the Nigerian charts on Apple Music. The music video for “Dumebi”, a breakout single from the EP, was published on May 21, 2019, with a cameo appearance by Diana Eneje, and has since received 85 million views on YouTube.

Later that summer, another hit from the EP was included on former US President Barack Obama’s yearly summer playlist. Rema’s tracks appeared on the official FIFA 21 soundtrack in September 2020. In September 2021, he was announced as a Pepsi brand ambassador alongside labelmate Ayra Starr.

Toya Delazy, a South African music producer and artist, coined the term “Afrorave” in 2019, blending garage, Zulu lyrics, and other African influences. In May 2021, Rema coined the word “Afrorave” to characterise his music, which combines Afrobeats with Arabian and Indian influences. This unusual voice has struck a chord with fans, gaining him a loyal following known as Ravers.

Rema released three EPs before releasing his debut album, Rave & Roses, on March 25, 2022, on Jonzing World. The album contains 16 tracks, including collaborations with 6lack, Chris Brown, AJ Tracey, and Yseult. It debuted with ten songs on the US Billboard Afrobeats Chart.

The single “Calm Down” attracted international attention, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 with a remix with Selena Gomez, breaking many records. Rema has garnered numerous prizes, including the MTV Video Music Award for Best Afrobeats Video and the Billboard Music Award for Top Afrobeats Song, among many more.

On November 7, 2022, he received an award for reaching one billion streams globally during his London show. He earned the Digital Artist of the Year title at the Soundcity MVP Awards in February 2023, which were hosted at Lagos’ Eko Convention Centre. In April 2023, he released Rave & Roses Ultra, the first African album to reach two billion Spotify streams.

Rema released the Ravage EP on October 26, 2023, and on October 30, he performed at the Ballon d’Or event at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France. On July 11, 2024, Rema released his second studio album, HEIS. The album’s title is derived from the Greek word for “numeral 1”.

It shows Rema claiming his status as the “Prince of Afrobeats”. The album has 11 songs and has a harsher, drum-driven feel than his debut album, Rave & Roses. Rema refers to his new musical style as “afro-rave”, which he described as “His own perception of Afrobeats”, according to an interview with HOT 97 in 2022. The sound combines Afrobeats, house, hip-hop, and dancehall.

Despite initial criticism, HEIS began at No. 2 on the Official Top 100 Albums list, later reaching No. 1, and has stayed on the chart for 29 weeks with over 104 million streams. Rema’s sophomore album also garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Global Music Album, her first.

On February 7, 2025, Rema released the track ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’, which samples Sade’s 1985 smash ‘Is It a Crime’. The song soon acquired popularity, becoming one of Nigeria’s most-streamed songs in 2025. Rema released another single, ‘Bout U’, on April 11, 2025.

Studio albums

• Rave & Roses (2022)
• Heis (2024)

Personal life

On September 28, 2020, Rema posted accusations against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their role in the death of his father, Justice Ikubor, a former party chieftain. Rema was admitted to study at the University of Lagos in 2022, but he was forced to leave in 2023 owing to the ongoing ASUU teaching union strike.

Rema is not married, and as of 2025, she does not have any children or babies. Rema, on the other hand, is dating and in a relationship with his girlfriend. Rema is presently seeing Justine Skye.

Rema Net Worth

Rema’s net worth is expected to go from $10 million to $15 million by 2025. This estimate includes proven profits from streaming, concerts, endorsements, and assets such as real estate and luxury vehicles.

Social Media

Instagram: @heisrema