“Stop trying to clone me”: Rema accuses his record label of allegedly using him for fake PR

Popular Afrobeats artist Rema went on a viral Twitter rant on Sunday, accusing his record label company, Mavin Records, of using "fake" PR tactics. Rema's tirade targeted the entire music industry, claiming labels have been "trying to clone" him for years. He demanded more originality from labels, stating,

"Labels get creative, stop trying to clone me."

The outburst began with a cryptic tweet declaring, "No more Big 3 there's now a Big 4." He followed up with a series of tweets lashing out at stylists who leverage his name to get clothes for artists and calling out "fake celebrities" and a "fake industry."

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Rema shuts down album hype after calling out label's PR tactics

Rema took to Twitter to address speculation that his social media activity was a publicity stunt for a new album. Fans had interpreted his rant as an elaborate way to drum up interest in upcoming music. The singer quickly dismissed this theory, stating, "No new music. Sorry. I'm above using fake PR tactics."

Many fans supported the artist's frustration. They acknowledged his influence on the Afrobeats scene, with one fan pointing out, "He's completely right. Releasing an EP as a debut project became the norm after Rema did it. Artists like Omah Lay, Ruger, Buju, and Asake all followed that blueprint." The conversation even shifted to who deserved to be included in the proposed "Big 4" of Afrobeats, with names like Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and Tems being popular choices.

This controversy comes after the singer's performance at the Dreamville Festival, where he encountered technical issues. He publicly criticized the festival for its treatment of African artists.

The artist's record label, Mavin Records, had announced on Twitter that he was working on a new project. However, he retweeted the post in apparent surprise, questioning its validity.

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Frustrated Rema exits the Dreamville stage because of technical difficulties

Nigerian Afrobeats phenomenon Rema, whose real name is Divine Ikubor, left the stage abruptly at the 2024 Dreamville Festival held in April after encountering significant technical difficulties during his set. The festival, headlined by J. Cole, boasted an impressive lineup featuring international stars like SZA, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, and J. Cole himself.

Rema was to perform for the second day, and he opened with his chart-topping hit Calm Down. However, his momentum stopped because of malfunctioning sound equipment that resulted in delayed feedback, throwing off the entire performance.

Visibly frustrated, the artist stopped singing mid-song and addressed the technical crew directly. While the exact wording can be disputed, reports said he expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the sound issues, emphasizing the negative impact on his performance and his representation of African music on the global stage. He reportedly stated,

"There are too many sound problems, and it's ruining my performance. This is unacceptable. I'm here representing Africa, and this is a total mess. The sound can't be perfect for every artist, but Africa is here, and you're messing things up!"

Despite his initial attempt to continue through the technical difficulties, the erratic sound disruptions persisted. Ultimately, he prioritized the quality of the performance for his fans and concluded his set with a message of appreciation for the audience before exiting the stage,

"There are just too many sound issues, everyone. I love you all."

The singer's fans, understanding his frustration, took to social media in droves, expressing their support and criticizing the festival for the technical problems.