2Baba Reflects on the Sacrifices Behind Afrobeats’ Global Rise

Innocent Ujah Idibia, the legendary Nigerian singer, who is popularly known as 2Baba, has said despite the dominance of the new wave of Afrobeats artistes, he is still relevant in the music scene.

The ‘African Queen’ crooner noted that his sacrifices and that of his pairs propelled Afrobeats to its current level.

He stated this in a recent interview with AFRIMMA.

He advised young artistes to trust the process rather than being overambitious.

The music icon urged them to take a clue from Burna Boy, highlighting that he started touring by selling out small venues and built a strong fan base before moving to arenas and stadia.

2Baba said, “Burna Boy sells out Madison Square Garden and they [other artistes] think they are on the same level. And that’s unrealistic.

He knows what he passed through before getting to the level he is, and you have to go through that process in full. Burna boy didn’t just wake up and sell out Madison Square Garden, it’s a process that took a long time.

“He started by touring small venues and he built a huge followership from there. And you see the results now. It’s the same process. We are part of the sacrificers; the instrumental process [laughs].

“But that doesn’t take anything away from the fact that I am still very much relevant. I’m still here making good music.