African Queen authorship dispute resurfaces as 2Baba calls Blackface’s claims painful and ridiculous, clarifying it was a collaborative creation
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]frican Queen authorship dispute has once again taken centre stage, reigniting debate over the true creators of the iconic Nigerian hit.
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In a recent appearance on the 234 Mzansi Podcast, Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, addressed the long-standing feud surrounding the track, which propelled him to international acclaim.
The singer clarified that African Queen, widely regarded as one of the most defining Afro-pop songs of the early 2000s, was not created by him alone.
According to 2Baba, the track was a product of a shared creative process 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,” he explained during the interview, which was posted on YouTube on Monday.
This revelation adds new weight to a saga that has lingered for years, with Blackface publicly accusing 2Baba of stealing the song and denying him due credit.
Despite multiple clarifications and legal proceedings, the matter remains unresolved in the eyes of many fans.
2Baba admitted that the continuing accusations have taken an emotional toll on him. While remaining composed, he did not hide his frustration with the narrative that questions his integrity and undermines his contributions to the song’s creation.
“For me, the law and the legal things speak for themselves. So I’m not somebody to come and start… I don’t know what his intentions are. I don’t know what I’ve ever done to him,” he said, his tone suggesting both confusion and hurt.
He further explained that he had never ceased showing Blackface the respect he believed was due to him. However, the persistent claims and public attacks had left him bewildered.
“They (the things he says) are absurd. They are just ridiculous and they are very, very painful sometimes,” he added.
The African Queen authorship dispute dates back to the early 2000s after the disbandment of Plantashun Boiz. The group, which once embodied unity in Nigeria’s growing urban music landscape, eventually split, with individual careers blossoming amid underlying tensions.
Over the years, Blackface has insisted that he was the song’s original writer and accused 2Baba of reaping the rewards without acknowledgement.
Legal threats and social media rants have characterised the feud, often drawing public opinion into a divided chorus.
Still, 2Baba remains reflective and seemingly open to reconciliation, albeit puzzled by the depth of the animosity he has faced.
“Till today, I just wonder why. That is the only thing I have in my head — like why? What is the reason? It’s just ridiculous,” he concluded.
Despite the controversy, African Queen continues to be a beloved anthem, emblematic of a golden era in Nigerian music and a milestone in the rise of Afrobeat on the global stage.
The song’s legacy remains untarnished among fans, even as its creators spar over the finer details of its birth.
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Whether or not the African Queen authorship dispute ever sees a final resolution, what is certain is that both artists contributed to a song that forever altered the course of Nigerian pop music.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
