Nigerian Entertainment News: Rema Returns With New ‘Benin Boys’ Hit: Listen Now
After achieving one of the most significant Afrobeats crossover successes in U.S. history with his Selena Gomez collaboration “Calm Down,” Nigerian sensation Rema is poised to launch a new phase of his career
On Thursday (June 20), the Billboard Music Award recipient released his first track of the year — a fresh collaboration with Shallipopi titled “Benin Boys.”
Featuring powerful drums and evocative background strings, Rema and Shallipopi exchange verses highlighting their “big money” and affirming their status as two of the world’s most prominent young artists.
This new single is accompanied by a DK-directed music video, showcasing the duo in a variety of scenes, including a neon-lit nightclub, a private jet, and atop what seems to be a church.
On Tuesday (June 18), Rema garnered two ASCAP London Music Awards: Song of the Year and Top Streaming Song, both for “Calm Down.” Last year, “Calm Down” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a record-breaking 58 weeks at No. 1 on the U.S.
Afrobeats Songs chart. The captivating Afrobeats tune also reached No. 1 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, a first for an African lead artist. “Calm Down” was the second single from Rave & Roses, Rema’s debut studio album, which achieved No. 81 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the World Albums chart.
Aside from a few solo tracks on the deluxe edition of Rave & Roses, such as “Charm” and “Reason You,” Rema’s recent works have mostly been collaborations. These include tracks with Feid (“Bubalu”), Ice Spice (“Pretty Girl”), and the “Soweto” remix (with Victony, Tempoe, and Don Toliver), which reached No. 65 on the Hot 100. Fans last heard solo material from Rema on last October’s Ravage EP, featuring the popular “DND.”
“Benin Boys” signifies Rema’s first official release as a newly-signed artist with Interscope Records, under the label’s UMG-backed partnership with Mavin Global.
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