• On July 11, 2024, Rema made history once again with his second studio album, “HEIS”, which has left his fans happy and surprised all at once.
  • The afrobeat superstar has paid tribute to his hometown (Benin City), erupting international recognition and admiration of the culture and lifestyle of his roots.

On July 11, 2024, Rema made history once again with his second studio album, “HEIS”, which has left his fans happy and surprised all at once.

He has drifted from his Nigerian Rn’B (lover-boy) blend to an entirely new genre commanding a brand new set of beats.

The 24-year-old artist has ensured in-depth storytelling starting from the album cover art, where a gothic photo of him appears animated with bats dominating the background. A scene representing his roguish anti-hero character depicted within the album, unleashed by a cartoonish sardonic laugh on several tracks.

Rema's "HEIS" album cover. (Photo/Courtesy: OkayAfrica)

The afrobeat superstar has paid tribute to his hometown (Benin City), erupting international recognition and admiration of the culture and lifestyle of his roots. He has additionally incorporated significant collaborations, winning the souls of his fans a notch.

He reconnects with his hometown by featuring his “homie,” Shallipopi, on “BENIN BOYS”, where they bring out the togetherness of Benin people underlined in powerful lines like, “You touch a Benin boy, you touch the full nation.”

Rema further flabbergasts his listeners with a stir of Swahili on track 6, “HEIS”, where an angelic female voice takes the stage and lauds him as the greatest.

Halfway into the album, when the pace threatens to slow, a brisk momentum comes in where “Ozeba” merges kuduro with a deep-voiced sound inflection that captures the attention of his fans even more.

Speaking to Apple Music, he pointed out that, considering all the other aims of the album, its essence is to re-set the fan base's ear and perspective of afrobeat music, saying, “We are listening to the voices of the world rather than the voices back home, our roots. This project is helping me bring back the essence, the energy, and a peaceful reminder not just to the fans but to creators too.”

The 28-minute work of art proves that Rema has more potential and is talented beyond our highest expectations. Fans have appreciated and received the blood-pumping “madness” with open ears, hearts and support, seeing it has charted on major billboards since its release.