Nigerian music icon 2Baba, born Innocent Idibia, opened up about the enduring shadow cast by his breakthrough single “African Queen” during a candid interview on an entertainment show, calling the 2004 track a profound gift that morphed into a persistent headache amid authorship feuds and skyrocketing fame.
The Afrobeat anthem, which catapulted Idibia from local sensation to global acclaim, earned him pioneering wins as the first African artist to snag BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO awards, yet its success has been mired in two decades of disputes, reignited last August when Billboard crowned it the “greatest Afrobeats song of all time.”
“It has been a very huge blessing, and e come turn to problem join for me. But I am grateful for everything,” 2Baba shared, blending Pidgin flair with raw honesty in the episode, underscoring the tune’s role in reshaping his trajectory while inviting relentless scrutiny.9b213f
The singer, now 49 and a veteran of Plantashun Boiz, addressed long-simmering claims from ex-bandmate Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, known as Blackface, who has accused him of pilfering the song during their group’s 2004 split. 2Baba firmly rebutted the allegations, insisting: “African Queen was originally a collaboration with my former bandmates,” but rejecting any notion of theft that has haunted his narrative.
He revealed a deep emotional tether to the track, confessing it stands among his most cherished works for its authenticity and the way it captured his artistic soul, even as the controversies chipped away at the joy.
The reflections come as 2Baba, with seven children from multiple relationships and a career spanning over 20 years, continues to influence Afrobeats’ evolution, his words a poignant reminder of fame’s bittersweet toll in Nigeria’s vibrant music scene.
