‘African Queen’ Huge Blessing But A Problem — 2Face

Legendary Nigerian musician, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Face, has described his hit song “African Queen” as the track that sparked his career, noting that it remains one of the songs he connects with the most.

Speaking on a recent episode of an entertainment and lifestyle show, 2Face also revealed that the song, despite its immense success, came with its own burdens.

“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 catapulted 2Face to international stardom, making him the first African artist to win BET, MTV Europe, and MOBO awards.

However, the song has been at the centre of authorship controversies, with 2Face’s former bandmate Blackface, repeatedly claiming that the singer stole the song from him.

In a previous interview, 2Face acknowledged that ‘African Queen’ was originally a collaboration with his former bandmates, but denied allegations of theft.

The song has remained a subject of debate for over two decades, with a fresh wave of controversy emerging after Billboard named it the “greatest Afrobeats song of all time” in August 2025.