‘I Performed At Bars, Lounges To Get Money’, Rema Recounts His Struggles When He Was Still A Gospel Artiste

Mavin Records and Jonzing World musician Divine Ikubor, widely known as Rema as narrated some of the unlivable things he did to get money when he was a gospel singer.

Rema recounted he had to perform at different bars, lounges and political rallies to make ends meet because he couldn’t ask people for money in the church, for he was doing God’s work.

The musician noted that life was tough for him in Benin back then, and he had to start switching to secular music gradually. Rema confirmed he deviated from gospel music to secular songs before he moved to Lagos and got signed by the Don Jazzy-led Mavin Records and D’Prince controlled-Jonzing World.

According to the 21-year-old, his transition to secular music was strange to his mother because of her popularity in the church. Rema said he had to grow up and start financing his family after the demise of his father and brother.

Read what he told Channels TV on Sunday’s Rubbin’ Minds; “I was still in Benin when that switch happened. A lot of people thought that when I got signed, I started deviating.

“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.”

“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,” Rema said.