Legendary Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, widely known as 2Face or 2Baba, has opened up about his classic hit African Queen, describing it as both a “blessing and a problem.”
Speaking on a recent episode of the Entertainment & Lifestyle show, the multi-award-winning artiste reflected on how the song transformed his career while also becoming a source of enduring controversy.
“African Queen has been a very huge blessing, and e come turn to problem join for me. But I am grateful for everything,” he said.
Released in 2004, African Queen became one of the most iconic Afrobeats love songs ever recorded, propelling 2Face to international fame. The hit earned him global recognition, including BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO awards, making him one of the first African artists to achieve such milestones.
Despite its success, the song has long been dogged by disputes over ownership. 2Face’s former bandmate Blackface has repeatedly accused him of stealing the track, a claim the singer has consistently denied.
In a previous interview, 2Face admitted that African Queen was originally a collaborative effort during their time together in the now-defunct group Plantashun Boiz, but maintained that he never took sole credit or stole the composition.
The debate over the song’s authorship resurfaced recently after Billboard ranked African Queen as the “greatest Afrobeats song of all time” in August 2025, reigniting conversations about its legacy and creative origins.
More than two decades after its release, African Queen remains a timeless anthem, a song that defined an era, inspired countless artists, and, as 2Face admits, continues to shape both the triumphs and trials of his legendary career.
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