Legendary Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, widely known as 2Baba, has addressed the long-running controversy surrounding the authorship of his iconic hit, “African Queen.”
Speaking on the 234 Mzansi Podcast — a new episode uploaded to YouTube on Monday — the music veteran set the record straight, describing the chart-topping song as a collaborative creation between him and his former Plantashun Boiz bandmate, Blackface.
“It’s a collab. I wrote most of the song actually, but we wrote it together,” 2Baba explained.
Despite this clarification, 2Baba expressed frustration over continued claims by Blackface, who has repeatedly accused him of stealing the song and taking sole credit for its success.
“For me, the law and legal things speak for themselves. I don’t know what his intentions are. I honestly don’t know what I’ve ever done to him,” he added.
A Rift That Won’t Heal
The dispute over African Queen — a song that played a key role in launching Nigerian music onto the global stage — remains one of the most talked-about feuds in the country’s music history.
2Baba noted that, despite the ongoing attacks, he has never disrespected Blackface publicly or privately.
“The things he says are absurd. They’re ridiculous — and honestly, very painful,” he said.
Reflecting on the sour relationship, the African Queen crooner admitted he still doesn’t understand what led to the fallout.
“Till today, I just wonder why. That’s the only thing I have in my head — like, why? What’s the reason? It’s just ridiculous.”
