Nigerian music superstar, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has come under criticism for disrespecting Afrobeat giants Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid during a recent concert.
The ‘Heis’ crooner while performing at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York City made a bold declaration, as he brought statues of Afrobeats giants Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid on stage towering symbols of the genre’s current powerhouses.
The 23-year-old singer also included himself alongside these legends, hereby implying that he was a powerhouse just like his senior colleagues.
Not stopping there, the singer also declared that there were no more big three, but big four, which his crowd roared in approval.
The singer’s action has sparked an outrage amongst fans who found it disrespectful to the African giants.
Taking to Twitter, now known as X, Daniel Regha berated Rema for subtly disrespecting them. According to the popular critic, Rema can never be in the same league with the legends.
He wrote, “Rema will never be in the same league as Davido, Wizkid, or Burna. What he did, performing “Hehehe” next to their mannequins, isn’t entertainment but an act of subtle disrespect. His management should have known better, there’s a thin line between admiration and mockery. When it comes to the conversation about the Big 3, or even the Top 10, he’s not making such a list unless it’s a list of new artists from his time/era. No offence”.
Another user who agreed with Regha wrote, “I support Regha on this because why he dey claim big 4 when Olamide dey. But I’m sure he would have gotten their consent before doing this as well sha.”
One user disagreed saying, “Rema didn’t disrespect anyone. He showed respect by including the Big 3 in his moment. It was his way of saying, “I see those who came before me, and I’m here too”. That’s not disrespect, it’s growth
Another user remarked, “But Daniel is right. He should find his own top 3, not add to an already made top 3 list and make it 4.”