Legendary Nigerian singer and Afrobeats pioneer, Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2Face or 2Baba, has once again addressed the long-standing controversy surrounding his classic hit song African Queen.
The song, released in 2004, played a monumental role in shaping the trajectory of Afrobeats and served as the launchpad for 2Face’s global music career. However, for years, the origin of the song has been mired in dispute largely due to persistent claims by Blackface, 2Face’s former bandmate in the now-defunct group Plantashun Boiz, who alleges that 2Face stole the song from him.
Setting the record straight in a recent episode of the +234 Mzansi Podcast, co-hosted by comedian and actor Chinedu Ani Emmanuel, aka Nedu, 2Face finally shed more light on the issue.
Speaking candidly, 2Face explained that while the song was indeed a collaboration, he was primarily responsible for most of the writing.
“It’s a collabo. I wrote most of the song actually, but we wrote the song together basically… He [Blackface Naija] will come to his senses one day,” the singer said.
2Face expressed his disbelief over the ongoing feud and Blackface’s continued accusations, stating that he hopes his former bandmate will eventually embrace the truth about the song’s creation.
African Queen remains one of the most iconic songs to come out of Nigeria, marking several firsts for the continent. The track not only catapulted 2Face into international stardom but also brought significant attention to Afrobeats on the world stage.
Following its release, 2Face became the first African artist to win both the MTV Europe Music Award and the MOBO Award. He also made history as the first African joint winner of the prestigious BET Award. African Queen was notably the first music video aired on MTV Base Africa and was later featured in the 2006 American romantic comedy Phat Girlz, starring Mo’Nique.
Despite the accolades and global acclaim, the dispute over African Queen continues to cast a shadow over what is undeniably a milestone moment in African music history. Nonetheless, 2Face’s latest remarks may offer some clarity and possibly closure on a chapter that fans have long hoped would be resolved.
