Legendary Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face, has described “African Queen” as the song that launched his career into the international spotlight, calling it one of the tracks he resonates with most.
Speaking on a recent episode of an Entertainment & Lifestyle show, 2Face acknowledged both the blessings and challenges the song has brought him.
“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 propelled 2Face to global stardom, making him the first African artist to win BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO awards.
Despite its success, the song has been surrounded by authorship controversies. 2Face’s former bandmate, Blackface, has repeatedly claimed that 2Face stole the track. While 2Face acknowledged that African Queen was originally a collaboration with his former bandmates, he denied any wrongdoing.
The debate over ownership has persisted for over two decades, reigniting in August 2025 after Billboard named African Queen the “greatest Afrobeats song of all time.”
2Face’s reflections highlight the dual legacy of the song: a career-defining hit that also carries a long-standing controversy.
