Nigerian music icon Innocent Idibia, known worldwide as 2Face or 2Baba, has shared candid thoughts about his legendary hit “African Queen”, describing it as both his greatest blessing and his heaviest burden.
In a recent interview on an Entertainment & Lifestyle show, the award-winning artist didn’t hold back about the complicated relationship he has with the track that defined his career.
“African Queen has been a very huge blessing, and e come turn to problem join for me. But I am grateful for everything,” he admitted.
When “African Queen” dropped in 2004, it wasn’t just another love song, it became a global phenomenon.
The track swept across continents, establishing itself as one of Africa’s most beloved musical exports and transforming 2Face into an international superstar.
The success was unprecedented. He took home a BET Award, an MTV Europe Award, and a MOBO Award, achievements that were groundbreaking for any African artist at the time.
But fame came with complications. Blackface, 2Face’s former bandmate from Plantashun Boiz, has spent years claiming he wrote “African Queen.”
The accusations have been persistent and public, creating a shadow over the song’s legacy.
2Face has always pushed back against these claims, maintaining that the track was a collaborative creation during their group days.
The debate flared up again in 2025 when Billboard crowned “African Queen” as the “Greatest Afrobeats Song of All Time”, reigniting arguments about who really deserves credit for the masterpiece.
Despite the drama, 2Face recognizes what the song gave him: global recognition, industry respect, and a musical legacy that shaped an entire generation.
Yet it also brought controversy, intense pressure, and emotional weight that he’s carried for over 20 years.
“At the end of the day, I’m grateful,” he reflected. “That song gave me everything.”
