Entertainment

Rema Praises D’banj for Paving the Way for Afrobeats in the UK

Posted by Gistsnaija. on 9 June, 2025 | under Entertainment
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Nigerian Afrobeats sensation Rema has paid heartfelt tribute to music icon D’banj for his pioneering role in taking Afrobeats to international stages, particularly the United Kingdom.

During his sold-out concert at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday, Rema invited D’banj on stage and publicly recognized his impact on the global success of the genre.

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Rema highlighted the importance of D’banj’s 2012 hit single “Oliver Twist,” which was the first Nigerian song to break into the UK Official Top 10 chart.

He acknowledged that the track opened doors for a new wave of Nigerian artists, including himself, to gain global exposure and acceptance in mainstream music markets.

Speaking to the crowd, Rema expressed his deep appreciation: “First of all, I want to appreciate you for opening the doors. We [the new generation artists] did not do it alone.

You and Don Jazzy held it down and opened that door. I love you from the bottom of my heart. If you never existed, I would have never existed.”

The emotional moment underscored the strong connection between Afrobeats’ past and present stars, and reminded fans of the genre’s journey from Lagos to global stages.