Afrobeats star Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has said the genre will stagnate if artists make music solely to please fans.
Speaking at his concert over the weekend, the singer said he prioritises making music he personally enjoys over catering to audience preferences.
Rema, who described himself as the ‘Prince of Afrobeats’, said he has a responsibility to push the genre forward.
“I don’t care what you say about me. I don’t care if you like what I like. But I make music that I like before you like it. If I stick to what you like, Afrobeats is not going to move forward,” he told the crowd.
He added, “And I will say it one more time, I am the f*_king Prince of Afrobeats.”
The Mavin artist has been credited with helping to globalise Afrobeats through his fusion of Afrobeat, trap, and pop sounds, including the 2022 hit ‘Calm Down’.
