Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, a Nigerian singer, has detailed how he transitioned from gospel to secular music.
The transition, he claims, came when he began singing in bars and lounges to make ends meet – the Benin-born musician revealed that he was previously the leader of a gospel rap group in his church.
The artist made the announcement on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds discussion show.
“I was still in Benin at the time of the changeover.” Many people assumed that once I was signed, I began to deviate.
“No. Actually, life was tough in Benin. I’m not that guy to ask the people in the 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 stated that the transition was weird and that her mum couldn’t accept it at first because she was well known in the church. But she later believed in him.
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