Afrobeats star Divine Ikubor, better known as Rema, has shared how the death of his father impacted his childhood.
The ‘Calm Down’ singer revealed that losing his father at a young age left him with the burden of providing for his family, forcing him to “sell” his childhood.
In a frank discussion with GRM, the 24-year-old expressed a desire to “feel young again.”
Rema admitted that he recently started smoking cigarettes as a way to feel “free and break some rules again.”
He expressed frustration that despite being an adult, people still criticize his choice to smoke because he is a celebrity.
He said, “I really wanted to feel like a child again… I feel like I grew up too fast. Life changed drastically when I lost my dad and brother. The responsibility was just thrust on me, forcing me to sell my childhood to provide for my family.
“God willing, everything worked out, and it happened quickly. But with fast fame comes fast maturity. It’s like a never-ending level of seriousness. So many adults. So many meetings. I didn’t even hang out with my peers.
“So this project [‘HeIs’], I just want to be a child. And it’s coming out naturally. It’s not me forcing it. It just sparked in my spirit. I just want to feel young again. I want to be a rebel. You know, kids make mistakes, and it’s acceptable. But when you’re a teenager and make the same mistake your peers would make, everyone comes after you because you’re in the spotlight.
“I know people who smoked a cigarette when they were 13, and I’m 24, smoking a cigarette because I just want to feel free and break some rules. My life has just been so planned and scheduled. I just got tired.”
