2Face Reveals Truth About ‘African Queen’
Legendary Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face, has described his hit song ‘African Queen’ as both a blessing and a burden in his decades-long career.
Speaking on AIT’s Entertainment & Lifestyle show on Sunday, the music star said the 2004 classic gave his career its defining spark, even though it has also brought him several challenges over the years.
He said English and Pidgin English, “That song has been a very huge blessing and e don turn to problem join for me, you know, but like I said earlier, I’m grateful for everything”.
Reflecting on his career, 2Face said while African Queen remains his most iconic song, he has created many other works that fans deeply connect with.
“There are so many other songs I have that are brilliant, and many people resonate with them too,” he further said.
The song, which was released in 2004 as part of his debut solo album Face 2 Face, shot 2Face to international fame and sealed his status as one of Africa’s biggest music exports.
The track earned him multiple awards, including BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO honours, making him the first African artist to win all three.
However, the song’s legacy has been trailed by controversy, with his former Plantashun Boiz bandmate, Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, popularly known as Blackface, repeatedly accusing him of denying him songwriting credit.
The music legend has consistently denied the claim, saying African Queen was a collaborative effort during their band days and not an act of theft.
The long-running debate resurfaced in August 2025 after Billboard named African Queen the ‘Greatest Afrobeats Song of All Time’.
