Rema Explains Artistic Meaning Behind Tattoos, Smoking, and Rebrand: “It Was All Symbolic”

Afrobeats sensation Rema has revealed that his tattoos, smoking, and dramatic image transformation were all intentional expressions of art, tied to the deeper themes of his sophomore album HEIS.

Nigerian singer Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has opened up about the symbolic meaning behind his widely-discussed rebrand ahead of the 2023 release of his second studio album, HEIS.

The Mavin Records artist had shocked fans when he abandoned his signature mask and teddy bear look, opting instead for bold tattoos, a darker wardrobe, and a more intense aesthetic that included smoking. At the time, many fans speculated the change reflected a personal or emotional shift.

However, in a recent post marking the one-year anniversary of HEIS, Rema took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the inspiration behind his transformation. According to him, the new image was never about personal turmoil it was an artistic statement.

“The cover was inspired by Itachi from Naruto. The truth masked as illusion, love buried under what y’all thought was betrayal change of sound, smoking, looks, aesthetics, and choice of color,” Rema wrote.

He added that the album’s energy and visual themes were carefully crafted to symbolize deeper emotional truths, many of which he had kept to himself until now. He referred to the post as an “author’s note” to fans who may have misunderstood the intent behind his artistic evolution.

The revelation has sparked fresh discussions online, with many fans now viewing the HEIS era as a well-thought-out creative concept, rather than a deviation from his identity.

Interestingly, Rema isn’t the first Nigerian artist to address public misconceptions about smoking. Last year, rapper Shallipopi clarified that he doesn’t smoke and only uses cigarettes in his visuals as part of his artistic aesthetic.