In the ever-competitive world of Afrobeats, inspiration and imitation often walk a razor-thin line. Over the past week, Nigerian music fans have been consumed by a brewing controversy between two of the genre’s brightest stars; Omah Lay and Rema — following claims that one may have lifted the other’s creative blueprint.
The Spark: Omah Lay’s Revelation
The saga began when Omah Lay appeared on the Zach Sang Show in August 2024, revealing that he had shared the sonic direction and concept for his then-upcoming album Clarity of Mind with a fellow artist he trusted. According to him, about five months later, that artist released an album heavily echoing the very ideas he had disclosed. Feeling blindsided, Omah Lay said he scrapped large portions of his work and re-recorded the project from scratch.
While Omah Lay didn’t name the artist in that interview, the timing and sound of certain releases set fan speculation ablaze. On social media, names like Rema and Victony floated to the top of the suspect list — with Rema’s HEIS album drawing the most attention.
Screenshots and Social Media Fire
The controversy reached a boiling point on August 12, 2025, when an Instagram account believed to be linked to Omah Lay posted screenshots of what appeared to be an iMessage exchange from December 16, 2023. In the alleged conversation:
– Rema sent a track titled “Now I Know” (a song later appearing on HEIS).
– Omah Lay shared a file labeled “mara rough”, presumably containing his developing concept.
– The messages hinted at Rema showing interest in the idea and possibly collaborating on it.
These screenshots quickly made their way to blogs, Twitter threads, and WhatsApp groups, igniting intense debates over intellectual property, artistic integrity, and the blurred boundaries of “influence” in music.
Silence from Both Camps
Interestingly, neither Omah Lay nor Rema has officially addressed the leaked screenshots. Omah Lay has not confirmed whether the burner account belongs to him, while Rema has remained entirely silent on the matter. This vacuum of direct statements has only fueled fan theories and kept the issue trending across Nigerian entertainment spaces.
The Bigger Picture
Allegations of idea theft are not new to the music industry, but in the streaming era; where artists constantly share snippets, demos, and unfinished concepts with peers — the risk of creative overlap is higher than ever. Without clear public evidence beyond the screenshots, this saga exists in a murky space between perception and proof.
For now, fans are left dissecting lyrics, comparing sounds, and speculating about what really happened in those private exchanges. Whether the truth eventually emerges or fades into the background, the conversation it has sparked about ownership, originality, and collaboration in Afrobeats is unlikely to die down anytime soon.