- Tems stated that she can’t drive in Nigeria without police escorts due to her popularity.
- She recalled almost getting mobbed while driving in Lagos last December.
R&B star Tems has recently shared her experiences with fame in Nigeria.
During a podcast interview with Big Boy TV in the United States, she discussed how her celebrity status has complicated her movements in the country, particularly when it comes to driving.
Tems revealed that she can no longer drive in Nigeria without police escorts due to her popularity.
She recalled a harrowing experience last December when she was almost mobbed while driving in Lagos.
“I used to drive in Nigeria, but now I can’t drive. I almost got mobbed last December. If I want to drive, I must have police escorts at the front and the back,” she said.
Tems said she struggled with fame because she’s an introvert but later adjusted.
In another story, Tems counters Buju Banton, says Afrobeats offers escape.
The Grammy-winning popular Nigerian artiste better known as Tems, has articulated her perspective on afrobeats, describing it as a genre designed primarily for escapism.
According to Tems, the purpose of the genre particularly in Nigeria is to serve as an escape from the harsh reality and not necessarily to preach against societal ills.
The ‘Love Me Jeje’ crooner stated this while reacting to Jamaican reggae legend Buju Banton’s criticism of afrobeats in a recent episode of the ‘Shopping The Sneakers’ podcast.
In reaction to his statements, Tems acknowledged the reggae icon’s perspective but emphasized that Afrobeats serves a different purpose.
Buju Banton claimed that Afrobeats had no substance and would fade with time. Tems said;
“I understand where Buju Banton is coming from. Reggae is not afrobeats and afrobeats in Nigeria is specifically for escapism; that’s the purpose of afrobeats.”