Rema’s career journey officially kicked off as a teen after D’Prince came across one of his Instagram videos, leading him to ink a joint-management deal with Mavin Records and Jonzing World. Off the bat, the Benin City star released his first self-titled EP, which housed his breakthrough hit, “Dumebi,” in 2019.
By 2022, Rema dropped “Calm Down” from his debut studio album, Rave & Roses. Its remix with Selena Gomez took the track's global recognition to an astronomical level. The hit became the Nigerian talent's debut Billboard Hot 100 record and the first African artist-led track to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify.
“Every day I wake up to good news,” the self-proclaimed Afro-rave artist told the publication during a 2023 interview. “Not just good news about how well my career is going; it’s about how well my culture is flying. Afrobeats is going to the next level. This song is opening doors and bridges. Listeners want to know what more is coming from Nigeria, what more is coming from Africa.”
He continued, “I’m happy for me, my team, the culture and for Selena. She embraced the sound, and she did her own thing. It was the right timing [with] the right person, and the impact has been so huge. Seeing people who don’t speak my language sing my song word-for-word really shows that people are impacted by the sound, and I’m grateful for it.”
Amid Afrobeats’ rise in global popularity, Rema released his sophomore effort, HEIS, in July as a call to action to preserve the genre’s foundation and essence.
“I feel like this [album] is more raw,” he said on Apple Music’s “Le Code” with Mehdi Maïzi. “It’s more local. It’s like a reset, taking Afrobeat back to what it was. From the beats to the lamba to the vibe, the flow, simplicity. Even in the mixing, the dirtiness. Raw and organic, because I feel like, with the success that has come to Afrobeats, it’s slowly changing our perception of the sound.” The Nigerian star went on to explain everyone is seeking something the entire world can appreciate. “We’re listening to the voices of the world too much and we’ve got to listen to the voices back home to just keep our roots. Our roots are very important.”
As Rema continues to return to the origins of Afrobeats, REVOLT has listed some of his best music videos throughout his career.
1. Are You There?
The “Are You There?” music video is a collaboration between the “YAYO” singer and renowned director and cinematographer TG Omori. Complementing the song’s call to action for change within the Nigerian government, its scenes include protestors rebelling against police for harassment and rebelling against corrupt leaders. Rema leads the pack, riding around the streets of the West African country with a megaphone calling out to people.
“‘Are You There?’ is a wake-up call,” the global star explained, per Genius. “We go crazy about the government, [yet] we have [slowly] accepted their bulls**t and we just tend to ignore and only talk when it affects us. We are still complaining about the things our parents complained about.”
“In this song, I complain about certain issues that we face, and the ways I air out my feelings about certain issues in the country,” he continued. “Many things are happening at the same time, and while people are dying, some people are in the club. So, I decided not to care anymore. I just can’t be here focusing on the negativity of the country. Don’t ask me any questions when I’m outside the country and I’m balling.”
2. DND
From the beginning, the “DND” visual feels like a short action movie starring Rema. The Meji Alabi-directed clip follows multiple storylines, with the award-winning artist portraying a prisoner who escapes with the help of a strapped crew, a professor whose students have their mouths sealed with tape and himself in front of the press. Overall, the main gist is that “even egbon dey collect DND,” which means that regardless of someone’s age, Rema is pushing politeness to the side and shutting out outside noise.
3. AZAMAN
The West African artist’s visuals never fall short of matching its respective record’s high energy. Just as “AZAMAN” comes out swinging with its musical production, the music video’s first scene sets the tone for the experience. It features Rema dripped out in all black, riding around with butterfly doors. Throughout the two-and-a-half minutes, the musician is in his element. Similar to how the track itself has massive replay value due to its brevity, its accompanying video also keeps you pressing play again and again.
4. Calm Down
While “Calm Down” has been recognized as the first Afrobeats song in history to surpass 1 billion streams in the United States, its music video boasts simple and vibrant clothing and set design, making it a standout gem in Rema’s videography. Following its release, the Director K collaboration earned numerous award nods, including a Headies Award for “Best Music Video” in 2023.
What’s more, the visual for the remix with Gomez earned the MTV Video Music Award’s first-ever “Best Afrobeats” award.
5. Holiday
The video for “Holiday” perfectly captures Rema’s carefree essence. While the record’s lyrics attest to his resilience and perseverance in the industry, the DK-directed visual shows he is at peace in the aftermath. Whether he is chilling with his close circle or turning up, Rema grins from ear to ear from start to finish. He basks in happiness because he went from facing trials and tribulations to “everyday na holiday.”
6. Charm
Even a year after its release, “Charm” still held a spot as one of the Afrobeats mogul’s top-viewed music videos. Alongside Perliks and Folarin Oludare, Rema also directed the visual, whose storyline focuses on a woman’s beauty captivating him. The leading lady takes the spotlight, effortlessly dancing in a short shimmer skirt, which leaves the singer-songwriter in a trance. Along with the dancer, there are silhouette shot transitions of Rema hitting dance moves of his own, which went viral ahead of the video’s release.
7. Woman
Rema repeats, “I too like woman” on the pop-infused track’s chorus, so it comes as no surprise that its music video is the definition of women galore. Throughout the visual, Black women of all different shades and sizes surround the "Soweto" remix collaborator. In one scene, one of them even hands him an apple, which likely symbolizes the story of Adam and Eve. Fully displaying his love for women, Rema lays on the floor surrounded by a plethora of photos of women in the closing shot.
8. Dirty
"Dirty” is one of the more sensual tracks on Rave & Roses, and its accompanying visual further brought life to the romantic picture that Rema created. Filmed in Lagos, Nigeria, the video features Mariana Jaguite as Rema’s love interest. The two are shown in multiple locations — from cozied up in a bedroom to walking hand in hand on the beach. The clip’s lighting and composition is reminiscent of the “Calm Down” visual, which was released a few months prior.
The “Dirty” music video was directed by Earthboi, who has also worked with fellow Mavin Records signee Ayra Starr.
9. FYN
“Fresh young n**ga cruisin’ in a Bimmer,” the opening refrain of “FYN” repeats, making it only right that its accompanying visual matches the vibe. While rocking a Louis Vuitton set in the video, Rema rides shotgun in a white BMW. The influential star shows off he’s fresh, flexing the lifestyle he lives and all the enjoyment that it brings — like being able to sit poolside alongside beautiful women and balling out on expensive jewelry. For this release, Rema once again collaborated with Grammy Award-winning director Alabi, who has previously worked with Beyoncé, Tiwa Savage and Victoria Monét, to name a few.
10. Dumebi
“Dumebi” took off in the music scene when the Nigerian hitmaker was only 19 years old. For his first official music video, Rema encapsulated a day in the life of a teenager seeking adventure. The Ademola Falomo-directed video shows him and a few friends going on a road trip, with some of its pit stops including dance breaks. Ending with a campout rooted in good vibes, the wholesome visual wonderfully complements the lighthearted, fun hit song.
11. Bounce
The opening shot of the “Bounce” music video shows countless flying bats — a symbol for Rema’s Benin City, Edo State heritage. From then on, the clip goes into full rave mode and is set in “Rave County.” Don Jazzy, Mavin Records founder and CEO and producer of “Bounce,” also made an appearance.
12. Ginger Me
Filmed during the “Time N Affection” crooner’s red locs era, the tranquil music video set for “Ginger Me” measured up with its The Elements-led production. Showcasing his lover boy side, Rema and his love interest are seen loving on each other indoors on a living room couch and outdoors on park swings. The visual also features dancers who rock varying hairstyles — from a short blonde cut to African threading. It also features a brief appearance of Rema’s signature teddy bear.
13. Soundgasm
The magic behind “Soundgasm” is its simple, yet infectious melody. To supplement the hit, its visual is set in a seemingly abandoned home with only a mattress, piano and mirror. In addition to the empty rooms, there is a scene of Rema and a female dancer in front of a car — the musician strumming his guitar while his love interest dances on the hood.
Bobby Hanaford — who has directed visuals for Starr’s “Last Heartbreak Song” and Johnny Drille’s “Loving is Harder” — also lent his talents to the “Soundgasm” video.