The well-known Afrobeats artist Divine Ikubor, also referred to as Rema, has talked frankly about how the death of his dad changed his childhood.
The “Calm Down” singer claimed that he was “forced to sell” his youth because, at a young age, his father’s death left him responsible for providing for his family.
Rema, 24, expressed in an open conversation with GRM that he wishes to “feel young again.”
He claimed that in an attempt to feel “free and break some rules again,” he recently took up smoking cigarettes.
Rema bemoaned the fact that even though he was an adult when he made the decision to start smoking, people still criticize him for being a celebrity.
He stated,
“I really wanted to feel like a child again… I feel like I grew up too fast. Life switched up on me crazy when I lost my dad and my brother. The weight was just on my shoulder and forced me to sell my childhood to provide for my family.
“God willing, everything happened well, it happened fast. And with fast fame, comes fast maturity. It’s just like never ending level of seriousness. So much adults. So much meetings. I didn’t even rolled with my age mates.
“So this project [‘HeIs’], I just want to be a child. And it’s coming out. It’s not me forcing it out. It just sparked in my spirit. I just want to feel young again. I just to be a rebel. You know, kids make mistakes and it’s acceptable. But when you’re a teenager and you make the same mistake your peers would make, everyone will come for you just 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. All my life just feel so planned and scheduled. I just got tired.”
