First African artiste to feature on Rolling Stone cover; Rema

Photo: Instagram @mavinrecords

Nigerian music superstar, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has made history as the first African artiste to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Rolling Stone is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture.

According to Rolling Stone, the Afrobeats sensation known for breaking boundaries on the global stage is the Cover Star for the April edition of the prestigious magazine.

Mavin Records lauded the uncommon feat with a post on its official Instagram page.

“Rave Lordé Rema the Afrobeats Visionary, makes history as @Rollingstone USA First African Cover Star!” the record label wrote.

Following the recognition, the ‘Heis’ crooner thrilled audiences with an electrifying performance at the Rolling Stone concert, performing some of his hit songs, including ‘Dumebi’, ‘Woman’ and ‘Calm Down’.

This milestone has further cemented Rema’s place as a trailblazer for African music, as this feat is coming shortly after he was highlighted on the cover of Dazed Magazine, another major international platform.

Rema, born in 2000 in Benin City, came to the limelight in 2019 after signing with Mavin Records.

His rising profile has continued to highlight Afrobeats on the global stage, as his hit song “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez became the most streamed Afrobeats track in history, earning him multiple platinum certifications.

The song also broke records as the first African-led track to surpass a billion on Spotify streams, dominating international charts.

‘Calm Down’ became the number one hit on the world’s first regional streaming chart and first-ever official chart in the Middle East and North Africa, earning Rema a Guinness World Record.

Among other global showcases, Rema has also made history as the first African artiste to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony, when he thrilled the audience at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, France.

NAN