2Baba
Innocent Ujah Idibia (born in Shomolu, Lagos State, Nigeria), known by his stage name 2Baba, 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 decorated and successful Afro pop artists in Africa, and is also one of the most bankable artists in Africa.
2Baba has received one MTV Europe Music Award, one World Music Award, five Headies Awards (Hip-hop award), four Channel O Music Video Awards and one BET award for his musical work, four MTV Africa Music Awards, one MOBO award, one KORA award, and numerous additional nominations.
Innocent Idibia was born in Jos, Nigeria . He is from the Idoma ethnic group in the southern part of Benue State, in central Nigeria. He attended Mount Saint Gabriel’s Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State. He enrolled 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 Science & Technology. He 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.
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 (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”. He is the founder of Hypertek Entertainment.
In 2006, his song “African Queen” was used in the soundtrack for the film Phat Girlz, which was released internationally.
He released a promotion album in 2008 called The Unstoppable releasing the single “Enter the Place”. Problems with album distribution in 2007 caused as 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.
Upon 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 etc. He is also the brand ambassador for National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
