Rema Wants a Seat at the ‘Big Three’ Table—Has He Earned It?

THE MINISTRY OF ARTS / MUSIC DEPT.

Another banga’ is an audacious introduction; often heard at the start of Rema’s songs. The phrase is a clear indication that Rema is acutely aware of his immense star quality and ability to create explosive songs on a consistent basis. Rema’s elocution of these words is important—his pidgin dialect changes the word ‘banger’ to ‘banga’, and this instantly alerts the listener to Rema’s Nigerian origin. Songs such as ‘Woman’, ‘Bounce’, ‘DND’, ‘OZEBA’, and ‘MARCH AM’ have an adrenaline inducing quality, akin to the feeling of throwing tiny ‘banger’ fireworks unto the ground and waiting for them to shoot into the air.

These fast-paced songs are not a constant for Rema, as he shapeshifts frequently through his music. Rema often blends genres in insightful and experimental ways, as heard on ‘Red Potion’, which has elements of Fela-inspired Afrobeat and polyrhythmic drums towards the end which elevate the song seamlessly. There are also soft moments within Rema’s discography, as heard on his R&B inspired single, ‘Is it a Crime’ and reflective moments captured by the introspective lyricism on ‘NOW I KNOW’, where Rema sings about the trust issues that come with handling fame and success.