‘African Queen’ My Greatest Blessing and Curse - 2Baba

Nigerian music icon Innocent Idibia, better known as 2Baba, recently shared candid insights into how his 2004 breakout hit "African Queen" transformed his career while also ushering in persistent challenges.

 In a viral interview on the Entertainment & Lifestyle show, the 50-year-old singer described the track as "a very huge blessing" that propelled him to stardom, but one that "don turn to problem join for me" 

The Rise to Global StardomReleased on 2Baba's debut solo album Face 2 Face, "African Queen" marked his explosive transition from Plantashun Boiz member to Afrobeats pioneer. The song won a spot in the 2006 Hollywood film Phat Girlz, it clinched awards like BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO honors, cementing 2Baba's status as the "King of Afrobeats" and one of Africa's biggest music exports. 

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The track also sparked a personal milestone: It featured a then-struggling model named Annie Macaulay (now Annie Idibia) in its video, kickstarting their romance. They married in 2013, though their relationship has faced public scrutiny, including a recent separation amid rumors of infidelity. 

2Baba's hit song "African Queen" is iconic, but it's also sparked a long-standing dispute with former bandmate Blackface, who claims 2Baba stole the song's concept and owes him royalties. 2Baba denies this, saying it was a collaboration.

Reflecting on this, 2Baba feels overshadowed by his hit song "African Queen," despite having other popular songs like "One Love" and "For Instance."