ENTERTAINMENT

Rema Becomes First Nigerian To Perform At Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Published

1 year ago

October 31, 2023

Rema Performs At Ballon d’Or Ceremony | Fab.ng

Rema had a fantastic 2023 thanks to his hit single “Calm Down”, which propelled him to international stardom and led to chart-topping success in multiple countries, along with setting various records.

Popularly known as Rema, Nigerian afrobeat star, Divine Ikubor made history by becoming the first African artist to perform at the prestigious Ballon d’Or ceremony. This event, organized annually by the French Football Federation, celebrates the world’s best football players.

At the ceremony in Paris, Rema wowed the audience, which included football superstars from across the globe, with his performance of “Calm Down”. On his social media accounts, Rema expressed his honour in taking Afrobeats to the global stage and gave thanks to God for his grace.

His Instagram post read,

Afrobeat in Ballon d’Or, I’m truly grateful for the opportunity. Glory to the most high for the grace. 🤲🏾❤️

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by REMA (@heisrema)

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Rema performed in front of this year’s Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, and Inter Miami player, Mbappe, as well as, Haaland, and Jude Bellingham, among other notable figures.

He achieved the title of Best Afrobeats Song at the MTV Video Music Awards for his “Calm Down” remix with American singer, Selena Gomez.

Notably, he recently appeared in Kigali for the Trace Africa Awards on October 21 at BK Arena, where he was recognized in the Global African Artist and Song of the Year categories for his track, “Calm Down”.

Rema’s performance at the Ballon d’Or ceremony puts him in the company of Nigerian artists like Davido and Burna Boy, who have also graced major football stages. Davido was the first Nigerian to perform at the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qatar, while Burna Boy became the first African to perform at the 2023 Champions League final in Istanbul.

Check more updates here.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Falz Speaks About His Worst Date Experience

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Reporter

Falz Speaks About His Worst Date Experience | fab.ng

Nigerian rapper Falz recently shared a humorous yet awkward story from one of his early dating experiences. During an interview on the Cocktails and Takeaways podcast with British media personality Madame Joyce, Falz recounted a surprising request from his date.

She asked him to order takeout for her family members back home. He explained the situation with his signature humour, highlighting how unexpected and awkward the moment was.

He explained,

“I haven’t had too many date experiences but the worst probably was this girl asking to buy stuff for her family at home, so I wasn’t sure how to feel. This was in Nigeria and I didn’t know whether to feel bad or not. She wanted me to buy takeaway for them, like to buy for each person… So different portions for the members of the family, takeaway for them. I didn’t even know whether to feel bad, because it was like, I came here on a date with you, not the whole family.”

Falz acknowledged that the request felt unusual but considered the possibility that her family genuinely needed the food. “I then sat and thought, What if they’re hungry? We were at a proper restaurant.”

“I feel like there are things that, when it comes to dates, there are things that the person would say directly or indirectly that would make you know whether you want to continue talking to them or not,” he added.

The rapper dismissed the idea that men immediately know if a woman is marriage material on the first date. He elaborated, suggesting that relationships often require time and experience to fully understand a partner’s potential.

He said, “To this day, there is nobody I can say that this is someone I want to marry. I haven’t gotten to that stage yet so I think it’d take a while.”

Check out more updates here.

ENTERTAINMENT

Denzel Washington Opens Up About 15-Year Battle With Alcohol

Published

3 days ago

November 21, 2024

Reporter

Denzel Washington On 15-Year Battle with Alcohol | fab.ng

Hollywood icon Denzel Washington recently disclosed his past struggles with alcohol during an interview with Esquire.

The two-time Academy Award winner candidly shared a fifteen-year pattern of wine consumption. What began as a casual habit gradually escalated into a regular occurrence.

He began, “Wine is very tricky. It’s very slow. It ain’t like, boom, all of a sudden,” he elaborated, recalling how a wine cellar he constructed in 1999 within his home became a place for self-indulgence.

The actor added,

“And part of it was we built this big house in 1999 with a ten-thousand-bottle wine cellar, and I learned to drink the best. So I’m gonna drink my ’61s and my ’82s and whatever we had. Wine was my thing, and now I was popping $4,000 bottles just because that’s what was left. And then later in those years I’d call Gil Turner’s Fine Wines & Spirits on Sunset Boulevard and say, Send me two bottles, the best of this or that.”

Washington also delved into his past, acknowledging his youthful experimentation with drugs. However, he emphasized that he never developed an addiction to substances such as heroin or cocaine.

He continued,

“I’m sure at first it was easy because I was younger. Two months off and let’s go. But drinking was a fifteen-year pattern. And truth be told, it didn’t start in ’99. It started earlier.”

A decade ago, as Washington neared his 60th birthday, a turning point arrived. He made the resolute decision to abstain from alcohol completely.

“I’ve done a lot of damage to the body. We’ll see. I’ve been clean. Be ten years this December. I stopped at sixty and I haven’t had a thimble’s worth since. Things are opening up for me now—like being seventy. It’s real. And it’s okay. This is the last chapter—if I get another thirty, what do I want to do? My mother made it to ninety-seven,” said Washington.

Check out more updates here.

ENTERTAINMENT

It Hurts – Don Jazzy On Not Having A Partner

Published

5 days ago

November 19, 2024

Reporter

Don Jazzy opens up on not having a partner | fab.ng

Renowned music executive and record label boss, Michael Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, recently expressed disappointment over his current relationship status.

On Monday, he took to Instagram to share his desire to participate in the popular “suspect challenge.” This social media trend involves couples playfully teasing each other. However, the 41-year-old entrepreneur lamented that he couldn’t join in the fun due to his single status.

“Suspect wants to do suspect challenge but no suspect partner,” he wrote. In the accompanying caption, the music executive lamented that “it hurts.”

This isn’t the first time Don Jazzy has publicly discussed his relationship status. In 2021, he revealed that he married Michelle Jackson, a UK-based writer and model, at the age of 20. Unfortunately, their marriage ended in divorce after two years.

“I fucked it up cos I was giving all my time to my music. Music became a priority instead of my family. We got divorced when I was 22 and it hurt,” he said.

Earlier this year, Don Jazzy explained that he has not remarried as he is currently focused on personal growth and self-development.

“I dey work on myself so that when my head correct, my babe go enjoy me,” he wrote in pidgin English.

A few months ago, Don Jazzy made headlines when a foreign investor acquired his record label, Mavin Records.

In 2004, Don Jazzy and his former partner, D’banj, co-founded Mo’ Hits Records. Following its closure, Don Jazzy established Mavin Records in 2012.

Mavin Records has produced and nurtured a roster of talented artists. They include Tiwa Savage, Reekado Banks, Korede Bello, Dr SID, D’Prince, DNA Twins, Ayra Starr, Johnny Drille, Crayon, Boy Spice, Bayanni, Rema, Lifesize Teddy, and Ladipoe.

To commemorate his 37th birthday in 2019, Don Jazzy unveiled the Mavin Creative Studios. The studio is a multimillion-naira mansion serving as the label’s corporate headquarters.

Mavin Records has received numerous accolades, including two consecutive MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Record Label in 2013 and 2014.

The label’s artists have also collaborated with international music stars such as Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Kelly Rowland, and Chris Brown.