2Baba The Ageless Phenomenon
2Baba’s music never gets old!
Real name:Innocent Ujah Idibia Stage name:2baba Date of birth:September 18, 1975 State of Origin:Benue Nationality:Nigerian Genre:Afropop,Reggae,R&B,Afrobeats
Arguably, the greatest music artist in the country, the phenomenon known as2Baba is one of the industry’s pillars, holding strong as one of Nigeria’s foremost artists in a career that has spanned decades of achievements.
When his unique voice captured hearts in 2000, many knew that the singer was destined for greatness and he has proved to be a true legend in the music industry, outliving and outshining a lot of others in his journey to the top.
2Baba is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist who previously went by the stage name2Face Idibia.
He is one of the most decorated and successful artists in Africa and also one of the most bankable stars in the music industry on the continent.
The lanky legend hails from theIdoma ethnic group in the southern part ofBenue State, Nigeria and attended Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School inMakurdi, Benue State.
He studied at theInstitute of Management and Technology,Enugu (IMT) where he did his preliminary National Diploma in Business Administration and Management.
As a student at IMT, 2Baba performed in different shows and parties organized by the school, as well as other nearby educational institutions like theUniversity of Nigeria,Nsukka andEnugu State University of Science and Technology.
He dropped out eventually to pursue a career in music, something that he had already started indulging in as an IMT student when he started composing and singing jingles at the fan club atEnugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) in 1996.
It was in that same year (1996) that he adopted the stage name ‘2Face’ (Tuface), his reason being that he wanted to create a separation between his personal life and his business life.
2Baba moved to Lagos and started performing with rapperBlackface Naija, having met him while in secondary school in Benue. WithBlackface (Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo) and musicianFaze (Chibuzor Oji), he would go on to form the popular trio bandPlantashun Boiz.
Plantashun Boiz released two successful albums:Body and Soul (2000) andSold Out (2003) withNelson Brown’sDove Records. They disbanded in 2004 with its members going solo. They came back together in 2007 to record a third and final album titledPlan B which was released in the same year.
After the disbandment of Plantashun Boiz in 2004, 2Baba released his debut albumFace 2 Face (2004). It established his status as a viable solo artist.
Grass 2 Grace, his second solo album, was released in 2006. It contained the hit songsOne Love,True Love, andFor Instance. 2Baba also foundedHypertek Entertainment.
His songAfrican Queen was used in the soundtrack for the moviePhat Girlz (2006) which was released internationally. This further boosted the singer’s rising influence in the entertainment scene.
In 2009, 2Baba dropped the experimental albumThe Unstoppable, which was promoted by the singleEnter the Place. The following year, he released the “International Edition” of the same album, making him the first Nigerian artist to have a priced international album.
The international edition ofThe Unstoppable won two awards at the2010 SoundCity Music Video Awards. The artist also won theChannel O Music Video Awards, Best African Western Award, and theMTV Africa Music Awards for Best Male and Artist of the Year.
2Baba was part of theSony All African One8 Project alongside seven other musicians in Africa who recorded a single withR. Kelly titledHands Across the World.
With over two decades in the entertainment industry, he remains one of the most influential forces and has had several collaborations across the globe.
On September 20, 2015, theFORTYfied All-Star Tribute Concert (#FORTYfied), an all-star tribute organized to celebrate 2Baba’s 40th birthday and influence in the Nigerian music scene, took place at theEko Hotel and Suites.
Hosted by comedianBasketmouth, the event was well-attended by notable dignitaries and saw performances from artists likeWizkid,Burna Boy,Timaya,D’banj,Sound Sultan,Patoranking,Vector,Wande Coal, andSheyi Shay.
2Baba’s collaboration with other singers has given them the opportunity to win awards for each duet such asStreet Credibility by9ice,Possibility by the defunctP-Square, and others.
In October 2019, 2Baba staged his20 Years A King concert at theInternational Conference Center, Abuja to mark his 20th Anniversary in the music industry.
The event was a huge success as it recorded a massive turnout. Organized by 2Baba’sHypertek Digital in collaboration withDelphino Entertainment, it was hosted byToke Makinwa alongsideBasketmouth.
As an artist adored by his colleagues, 2Baba is seen as a role model by many and is the first non-Liberian to become an honorary member of the Liberian music society in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the growth of African music.
He is married to Nigerian award-winning actressAnnie Macaulay and they have two girls together. 2Baba is father to seven children (five from 2 previous relationships).