Innocent Ujah Idibia is one of the loved Nigerian celebrities who came into limelight after the release of his album titled “African Queen” He is popularly recognized by his stage name 2Baba. He is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, record producer and entrepreneur. Prior to July 2014, He went by the stage name 2face Idibia. He is one of the most admired, loved, decorated and successful Afro pop artists in Africa, and is also one of the most bankable artists in Africa.
Early life
Innocent Idibia (2Face) was born in Jos, Nigeria. He hails from Okpokwu LGA in Benue State, from the tribe of Idoma ethnic group in central Nigeria. He attended Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He got an admission at Institute of Management & Technology, Enugu (IMT), where he did his preliminary National Diploma course in business administration and management. While attending IMT, he performed at school organised shows and parties, as well as other regional schools such as the University of Nigeria and Enugu State University of Nigeria.
2Face Idibia eventually dropped out to pursue his music career. While attending IMT, 2face Idibia started composing and singing jingles at the GB Fan Club at Enugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) in 1996. Also in 1996, he adopted the stage name “2Face” (Tuface). He cited the reason as “trying to demarcate my personal life with my business life. 2Face has experienced near-death events, including gunshots from an armed robbery.
2Face Previous Band (Plantashun Boiz)
2Face Idibia moved to Lagos and started performing with rapper Blackface Naija. He had met BlackFace while attending IMT. He went on to form the trio band Plantashun Boiz with Blackface (Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo) and with musician Faze (Chibuzor Oji).
Plantashun Boiz released two successful albums: Body and Soul (2000) and Sold Out (2003)under the Nelson Brown’s owned Label (Dove Records) before disbanding in 2004. Relationship were marred for many years during which the band broke up and its members started their solo careers. Long after the break-up known as the “Faze vs Tuface” beef, the band came back together in 2007 for the purpose of recording a third and final album entitled “Plan B” (2007).
2Face’s Solo career
After the disbandment of Plantashun Boyz in 2004, all band members sought separate musical careers. 2face Idibia released his debut solo album Face 2 Face in (2004), which established him as a viable solo artist. Following the release of his debut album, he released his second album Grass 2 Grace in 2006, which contained hits “One Love”, “True Love, “4 Instance”. 2Face founded the Hypertek Entertainment. In 2006, his song “African Queen” was used in the soundtrack for the film Phat Girlz, which was released internationally.
2Face released a promotion album in 2008 called “The Unstoppable”, releasing the single “Enter the Place” he encountered some problems with album distribution in 2007 caused as a result of the shift of the release date of the album from 2008 to early 2009. In 2010, 2face released an “international edition” of the same under the title ” The Unstoppable International Edition” making him the first Nigerian artist to have an appropriately priced international album. 2face released two more singles from the international version of his Unstoppable album. The international edition of the album won two awards at the 2010 Soundcity Music Video Awards. He also won the Channel O Music Video Awards, Best African Western award and the MTV Africa Music Awards for Best Male and Artist of the year.
Leaving the music label Kennis Music, he set up his own record label known as “Hypertek Entertainment”. He is part of the Sony All African One8 Project alongside seven other musicians across Africa recording a single with R.Kelly and Prince Lee titled “Hands Across the World”. He 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 music in Africa. He has been named Red cross ambassador society of Nigeria. 2face has several collaborations all over the globe, giving his collaborators the opportunity to win an awards for each duet such as street credibility by 9ice, possibility by p-square and lots more. He is adored by his colleagues and every entertainer in Nigeria music industry as a role model. 2face and heavy weight American Rapper Jay Z met in NYC 2014.
2face Idibia has also been an ambassador for quite a number of brands including Guinness, Nigerian Breweries, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control among others.
2Face Idibia’s Tribute Concert
An all star tribute concert organised by 2Face Idibia, which was hosted by Basketmouth, and sponsored by STAR Lager Beer in celebration of 2Face’s 40th birthday and influence in the music of Nigeria.The concert was tagged; FORTYfied All-Star Tribute Concert, and stylised as #FORTYfied. The concert was held on 20 September 2015 at the Eko Hotel and Suites Convention Center. The concert was attended by dignitaries and featured performances from notable musicians including Wizkid, Burna Boy, Timaya, D’banj, Sound Sultan,Patoranking, Vector tha Viper, Wande Coal and Seyi Shay. 2Face was also the initiator of the Buckwyld and Breathless concert
Marriage Life
2Face Idibia who has been in several relationships with different women is married to his first love and the mother of his first child ,popular Nigerian actress Annie Macaulay. He got married on 2 May 2012, to Annie Macaulay in Lagos , Nigeria. They both got married in a private ceremony, 2face announced his marriage through his Twitter page. Annie Macaulay and 2Face had their traditional wedding on 8 March 2013 in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State Nigeria. The couple also had a white wedding in Dubai, on Saturday 23 March 2013 with Nigerian and Ghanaian celebrities all present to see the long term couple tie the knot.
His wife, Annie Idibia, on the 17th of August 2015, announced that she has opened a beauty salon in Atlanta called “BeOlive Hair Studio”.
2face Idibia is a father of 7 children from 4 different women.
Philanthropy
This amazing artiste has also entered the Guinness World Record for “Longest Dance Party” Kaffy and Multiple Award Winning Singer 2baba with the Executive Producer of My Funky Birthday TV Nig and PadMan Initiative Crooner at a reunion to work with this superstar on a Charity Project. 2Face also established an NGO called 2Face Idibia Reach-Out Foundation.whose motto is “service to humanity”.
In 2009, 2Face was appointed an ambassador by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. And afterwards he released a song titled “Man Unkind” to raise awareness on the menace of fake and sub-standard food and drug products in Nigeria. In 2009, he was presented with the prestigious International Youth Ambassador for Peace Summit and the Nigeria Youth Merit Award by the National Youth Council of Nigeria in recognition of his contributions to youth development in Nigeria. Tu Face is also one of the Judges in The Voice Nigeria, alongside other artists like Timi Dakolo, Patoraking and Waje.
Discography
Albums
- 2004 – Face 2 Face
- 2006 – Grass 2 Grass
- 2008 – The Unstoppable
- 2010 – The Unstoppable International Edition
- 2012 – Away & Beyond
- 2014 – The Ascension
Singles
- African Queen
- No Shaking
- See Me So
- 4 Instance
- Enter the Place (featuring Sound Sultan)
- Implication
- Only Me
- Rainbow
- True Love
- Holy holy
- Mr senator
- omo t’osan
- 2face Idibia – Break The Silence Ft. Samini, Sound Sultan, Ferre Galo, Machel Montano & Others #BringBackOurGirls
- How e Go Be ( featuring Stanley Enow)
Awards
2Baba has recieved many great and impressive awards such as;
- MTV Europe Music Award
- World Music Awards
- Headies Awards ( for 5 times)
- Hip-hop Awards
- Channel O Music Video Awards ( for 4 times)
- Bet Award ( for his musical works)
- MTV Africa Music Awards ( for 4 times )
- MOBO Award
- KORA Award and numerous additional nominations.
- Sound City Music Video Award
- Best African Western Award
