Legendary Nigerian singer, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face or 2Baba, has opened up about the double-edged impact of his iconic 2004 hit song, ‘African Queen’, describing it as both his biggest breakthrough and an unexpected source of prolonged challenges.
The veteran artiste made this revelation during an appearance on the Entertainment & Lifestyle show which began trending on Sunday, where he reflected candidly on his decades-long career and the complex legacy of his most celebrated track.
“That song has been a very huge blessing and e don turn to problem join for me, you know, but like I said earlier, I’m grateful for everything,” 2Baba stated during the interview.
The singer, who rose to prominence as part of the defunct group Plantashun Boiz before launching a successful solo career, acknowledged that whilst ‘African Queen’ remains his signature tune, it does not define his entire body of work.
“There are so many other songs I have that are brilliant, and many people resonate with them too,” he explained.
Released in 2004 as part of his debut solo album ‘Face 2 Face’, the romantic ballad propelled 2Face into international stardom and established him as one of Africa’s most influential music exports. The track’s success earned him multiple prestigious accolades, including awards from BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO, making him the first African artiste to win all three honours.
However, the song’s legacy has been shadowed by a persistent controversy involving his former Plantashun Boiz bandmate, Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, widely known as Blackface, who has repeatedly accused 2Baba of intellectual property theft.
Blackface has claimed over the years that ‘African Queen’ was originally his composition, alleging that 2Face appropriated the song without proper credit. The veteran singer has consistently refuted these allegations, maintaining that the track was a collaborative effort during their time together in the band and not an act of plagiarism.
The long-standing dispute gained renewed attention in August 2025 when international music publication Billboard crowned ‘African Queen’ as the ‘Greatest Afrobeats Song of All Time’, reigniting debates about the song’s authorship and impact on the genre.
