Legendary Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face or 2Baba, has opened up about the double-edged impact of his timeless hit, African Queen, describing it as both a blessing and a burden.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Entertainment & Lifestyle Show, the veteran musician reflected on how the 2004 classic changed his life forever while also bringing unexpected challenges.
“African Queen has been a very huge blessing, and e come turn to problem join for me. But I am grateful for everything,” 2Face said.
Released in 2004, African Queen shot 2Face to international fame, earning him multiple global accolades including the BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO Awards, making him one of Africa’s most celebrated music exports.
However, the song has also been at the center of long-standing controversy. 2Face’s former bandmate Blackface has repeatedly accused him of stealing the track, a claim 2Face has denied, though he admitted the song was originally a collaborative effort during their Plantashun Boiz days.
The debate over the song’s ownership resurfaced in August 2025, when Billboard named African Queen the “Greatest Afrobeats Song of All Time.”
Despite the controversies, African Queen remains a defining anthem of African love and one of the most influential songs in the history of Afrobeats.
