Rema Becomes First African on Rolling Stone Cover

Nigerian music star Divine Ikubor, best known as Rema, has made history as the first African artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

READ ALSO: I’m One of the Greats –Rema on Afrobeats’ Big Four & Taking Space

The Rolling Stone is a renowned American monthly magazine covering music, politics, and popular culture.

According to Rolling Stone, the Afrobeats sensation, known for pushing boundaries on the global stage, is the cover star for its April edition.

Mavi Records lauded the uncommon feat with a post on its official Instagram page:“Rave Lordé Rema the Afrobeats Visionary, makes history as @Rollingstone USA First African Cover Star!”

Following the recognition, the Heis crooner captivated audiences with a high-energy performance at the Rolling Stone concert, delivering hits like Dumebi, Woman, and Calm Down.

This achievement further solidifies Rema’s status as a trailblazer in African music, coming shortly after he was featured on the cover of Dazed Magazine, another major international platform.

Rema, born in 2000 in Benin City, rose to fame in 2019 after signing with Mavin Records. His growing influence continues to elevate Afrobeats globally, with Calm Down featuring Selena Gomez becoming the most streamed Afrobeats track in history, earning him multiple platinum certifications.

The song also set records as the first African-led track to surpass a billion streams on Spotify, topping international charts.

Calm Down became the first number-one hit on the world’s first regional streaming chart and the inaugural official chart in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), earning Rema a Guinness World Record.

Further cementing his global presence, Rema made history as the first African artist to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony, delivering a thrilling performance at the 2023 event in Paris, France.

NAN/Oluchi