‘I didn’t know them 5 years ago’ — Rema speaks on competing with Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy

Rema, the Afrobeats sensation, has opened up about competing with Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy — Nigeria’s biggest three artistes.

In a recent interview on the GRM Daily, the ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker stressed that he is unbothered by their opinions of him because they are not his priority.

Rema claimed “I did not know Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy five years ago” and that he saw no reason to prioritise them.

The award-winning singer also blamed fans who “make it seem like any move we make is competition”.

“I do not want to praise myself. Everyone who has met me has been super respectful. In the game, people act crazy. It is okay to take bullsh*t or overlook,” he said.

“We are all human beings. But one thing I always want. I always tell my boys that five years ago, I did not know these dudes. My colleagues literally. So why would they be my priority? Why would I wake up and say this move I am about to make will compete with them? Or we go show them? Why would they ever be my priority?

“It is always the fanbase making it seem like any move we make is competition. But, when I put it in terms of lyricism, I always want to keep the sport going. We have lyrics where Davido will be like ‘I’m bigger than all of them’ or Wizkid’s ‘Dem sey dem bad I swear dem do nothing or eh’. All to keep the sport going. We keep it the Ronaldo, the LeBron way. When we are in the match, it is war, outside of the match, it is love.”

In April, Rema claimed that music labels are “attempting to clone me” — implying that some record labels are trying to model their artistes after him.

The Afrobeats star also argued that most artistes have used him as a template since he came to the limelight in 2019.

The ‘Calm Down’ hitmaker declared that he is officially on par with the ‘Big Three’.