Did Rema Really Steal Omah Lay’s Album Idea?

What’s the story about Omah Lay and Rema?

On August 12, 2025, an Instagram account believed to belong to Omah Lay revealed screenshots of a chat between him and Rema from December 16, 2023. In that exchange, Omah Lay shared a track called “mara rough” that reflected his new sound direction. Rema responded by sending his own file titled “Now I Know”, which later appeared on his HEIS album. Omah Lay noted that Rema showed interest in his vibe and asked if he could jump on it—which he defined as collaboration—but then released a similar concept just four months later  .

Did this really push Omah Lay into a creative slump?

Yes, according to the Instagram story, this incident deeply affected Omah Lay. He reportedly went on a break and only returned to the stage months later—on June 28, 2025, in Brussels—looking emotionally fragile. The post said he’s also now channeling that trauma into fuel—both healing himself and warning others who tamper with his creativity  .

Has Omah Lay addressed this publicly before?

Yes. In an older interview, he mentioned that he delayed an album because a trusted colleague took his concept and released something very similar. That forced him to go back to the studio and start over on what he believed would become “the greatest album of all time in Afrobeats history”  .

What Readers Might Be Asking

Why did Omah Lay share this via a burner account?

He likely wanted to speak freely without pressure from fans, colleagues, or the public. Burner accounts allow a raw, more personal outlet.

Has Rema responded?

No, as of August 12, 2025, Rema hasn’t publicly addressed these claims  .

Did this derail his career?

Only temporarily. Omah Lay paused his album rollout and scrapped the original project, but he eventually bounced back. Notably, his album Boy Alone released in 2022, with a deluxe edition in 2023, received wide praise and helped establish his unique sound  .

What lesson is Omah Lay—and the industry—taking from this?

Creative ideas are deeply personal and valuable. Sharing them with someone close doesn’t guarantee respect or protection.