Nigerian singer Divine Ikubor, fondly called Rema, took a moment to honor Afrobeats legend D’banj for his role in putting the genre on the global map, especially in the UK.
D’banj’s 2012 hit “Oliver Twist” broke new ground as the first Nigerian song to reach the top 10 on the UK official chart.
This achievement opened the door for many Afrobeats tracks to follow.
At his sold-out concert at London’s O2 Arena on the 8th of June, 2025, Rema invited D’banj on stage.
He credited the veteran’s UK breakthrough as crucial to his own success as an Afrobeats artist in the UK.
“First of all, I want to appreciate you for opening the doors. We (the new generational artists) do not do it alone.
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“You were one of the first ones to bring Afrobeats to the UK. You and Don Jazzy held it down. Y’all open that door.
“I appreciate you for life. I love you from the bottom of my heart. If you never existed, I would have never existed,” he said.
Rema’s tribute shows how D’banj’s impact still shapes the path for the new wave of Afrobeats stars.
Are you surprised by how one song can shift an entire music scene?