“Hey, Mustard on the beat.” Eighteen seconds into TEA, that familiar producer tag gives way to a beat that comes as a pleasant surprise. The West Coast hip-hop influence immediately adds a different flavour to the record, while Rema still sounds unmistakably like himself.
TEA is a high-energy record that feels almost impossible to sit through without getting on your feet. As the song progresses, the energy only intensifies, showing Rema leaning further into his evolution as an artist. He blends the polished feel of West Coast hip-hop with the global Afro-rave elements that have become a defining part of his sound.
Rema’s delivery also sits comfortably within the production. You can hear that chemistry particularly in the pre-chorus, where his delivery on “Murder, with the way you whine it on me” locks naturally into the rhythm. His vocals match the energy of the beat, allowing him to ride the rhythm rather than sound like he is simply performing over it. The production and his delivery feel intentionally matched, giving the record a cohesive and energetic feel.
Lyrically, TEA is playful and unapologetically centred around the energy of a party. Rema leans into flirtation, cheeky boasts and provocative imagery, keeping the subject matter light rather than overly serious. The repeated “tea” hook is deliberately simple and chant-like, making it easy to latch onto and reinforcing the song’s infectious energy.
Despite its repetition, the energy gives TEA replay value. The combination of its production, hook and animated delivery makes the song easy to return to, particularly when the goal is simply to enjoy the music and move with it.
More than anything, TEA reflects Rema’s willingness to keep expanding his sound. Rather than staying within the sonic boundaries of his earlier Afro-rave work, he incorporates a more pronounced hip-hop influence into the production while retaining the rhythmic and melodic instincts that have defined his music.
At the time of writing, TEA had debuted with more than 468,000 Spotify streams in Nigeria, entering the Spotify Nigeria Top Songs chart at No. 2. The early figures point to a strong commercial opening, reflecting the anticipation surrounding Rema’s return and the song’s immediate appeal.
