Cultural Appropriation or Inspiration? The Rema “Oyo Oyo” Debate

Rema’s latest visual release, Oyo Oyo, has sparked online debate.

Usually, when a Nigerian artiste drops a video, fans focus on the beat, fashion, or cameos.

This time, the conversation on X, formerly Twitter, shifted to accusations that Rema borrowed too heavily from Black American street culture.

Claims of cultural appropriation have stirred discussion.

In today’s global music scene, adopting a style, slang, or aesthetic can quickly be branded as theft.

But where does admiration end and appropriation begin?

For some, Rema’s choices reflect the blending of global pop culture, with artists drawing inspiration across borders.

For others, it feels like erasure, dismissing the history and struggles tied to the culture being borrowed.

Whether cultural theft, tribute, or the natural result of a world where music, fashion, and identity collide, Oyo Oyo raises deeper questions about art, influence, and respect.