Nigerian music sensation, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has achieved another historic milestone as the first African artiste to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
The American publication, renowned for its coverage of music, politics, and pop culture, unveiled Rema as the face of its April edition, recognizing his impact in taking Afrobeats to the global stage.
Mavin Records, his record label, celebrated the achievement with a post on Instagram, stating: “Rave Lordé Rema, the Afrobeats visionary, makes history as @Rollingstone USA’s First African Cover Star!”
Following this recognition, Rema delivered an electrifying performance at the Rolling Stone concert, where he thrilled audiences with some of his biggest hits, including Dumebi, Woman, and Calm Down.
This latest feat solidifies Rema’s position as a trailblazer in African music, coming shortly after his appearance on the cover of Dazed magazine, another prominent international platform.
Born in 2000 in Benin City, Rema rose to fame in 2019 after signing with Mavin Records. His influence has played a key role in bringing Afrobeats to global prominence, with Calm Down—his collaboration with Selena Gomez—becoming the most-streamed Afrobeats song in history.
The track has earned multiple platinum certifications and was the first African-led song to surpass a billion streams on Spotify.
The song also made history as the first African track to top the world’s first regional streaming chart and the official chart in the Middle East and North Africa, earning Rema a Guinness World Record.
Beyond streaming achievements, Rema became the first African artiste to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris in 2023, further cementing his place on the global music stage.
