Mavin record signee, Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, has stated why he switched from gospel music to afrobeat.
The artiste, who was formerly in a gospel rap group, in an interview with Rubbin Minds, said he started deviating from gospel music when he was in Benin and not when he got signed to Mavins.
According to him, his switch started in a bar where he often went to perform. He said he needed to make ends meet after the loss of his father and brother.
Rema noted that the switch was not convenient for his mother because she was an important person in church but he told her to trust him.
“I was still in Benin when that switch happened. A lot of people thought that when I got signed, I started deviating,” Rema explained.
“No. Actually, life was tough in Benin. I’m not that guy to ask the people in church to pay me because I’m doing God’s work.
“Right there in Benin, I started going to competitions, going to bars, lounges, political rallies; just trying to get on the stage and hold a microphone, to at least get sprayed some money to come back home and feed my family, because we were going through tough times.
“I lost my father and brother and I needed to come through for my family. At that point in time, I felt like that’s where I started spacing out; little by little, until I just exiled.” He said.
“It was weird for me and most especially for my mum because she was well known in church. I didn’t do any much explaining. I just told her to trust me.”
He also stated the reason he decided to school in UNILAG was because he lives there “mostly; in Lagos.”
