Innocent Ujah Idibia: 2Face Biography, music career and rise to fame

For those who are not familiar with the name "Innocent Ujah Idibia", "2Face" or "2Baba" will surely ring a bell. 2Face is a Nigerian born singer, record producer, songwriter, entrepreneur as well as a philanthropist.

He is one of the most celebrated music artists in Nigeria as he has been consistent over the years with many award-winning songs in the Entertainment Industry.

 Overview of 2Face Idibia's biography

The biography of 2Face is a typical example of how talent combined with working hard can transform someone's life for good. For this pop artist, music is beyond a hobby; it is an inherent part of his life.

Born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, 2Face started his music career at the University. In 2000, he worked with Blackface and Faze to form the "Plantashun Boiz" group.

The trio released two successful albums - Body and soul (2000) and Sold Out (2003). They went solo in 2004, only to come back again in 2007 to record their third and last album (Plan B).

Whether working as a band or solo, 2Face has proven himself to be a viable artist releasing albums with hit tracks such as African Queen, Ole, Right Here, Police (Skit), No Shaking, Implication, Enter the Place etc.

 2Face Idibia's education

2Face is from the Idoma tribe in the Southern part of Benue State, Nigeria, but he was born in Jos, Plateau. He attended Mount Saint Gabriel's Secondary School in Markudi, Benue state.

After his Secondary School Education, he moved to Enugu state, where he did his preliminary National Diploma course in Business Administration and Management at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.

 2 Face Idibia's personal life

2Face has seven children from three women. However, he did tie the knot with his heartthrob, Annie Macaulay Idibia, in 2012. The names of his children are Isabel, Nino, Zion, Justin, Rose, Innocent and Olivia.

Asides from being a musician and an entrepreneur, it is worthwhile to note that 2Face has been a wonderful father to his children, taking care of them without discrimination. Recently, the media said that his loving wife adopted all his children from other women.

 2Face Idibia's Music career

2Face's music career started right from his University days. He performed in nearly every show and party inside the school and the Enugu metropolis.

He earned some money from composing and singing jingles at the Enugu State Broadcasting Services (ESBS) GB fan club. He did later drop out of school to pursue his music career.

2Face moved to Lagos state with Faze (Chibuzor Orji) and Blackface (Ahmedu Augustine), and the trio formed the 'Plantashun Boiz' band. The band released 2 albums, Body and Soul and Sold Out, in 2000 and 2003, respectively.

They went their separate ways in 2004, and the same year, 2Face launched his debut solo album, Face 2 Face, which established him as a productive and talented solo artist. The album's success will largely be credited to the popular hit track African Queen.

He released his second album, Grass 2 Grace, in 2006 and 2007; the band of three came back together to record their third and last album, Plan B.

2Face released 4 more albums after Grass 2 Grace, bringing him to the limelight. They include - The Unstoppable, The Unstoppable International Edition, Away and Beyond and The Ascension.

 African Queen by 2Face

Even though it was released in 2004, this song remains a hit track today, with people still requesting that the song be played for them over the radio or during TV shows. The song is a blend of African folk music, guitar Ballard and some elements of hip hop.

Annie Macaulay was featured in the song and hit over 10 million views on YouTube. The song has been used as the second track in different movies, with one of the most popular ones being 'Phat Girlz, ' released internationally.

 The Unstoppable - Album by 2Face

The Unstoppable is 2Face's third studio album which debuted in 2008 under Hypertek Entertainment. It came with one single- Enter the Place, and was produced by J Sleek, Mic Tunes, Jiggy Jeg, Spanky and R. Kelly. It featured Sound Sultan.

 The Unstoppable International Edition - Album by 2Face

The Unstoppable had its International Edition released in 2010 with some tracks added. It featured two singles- Only Me and Implication. It was released under the Hypertek Entertainment Record Label.

The edition won awards, such as the Sound City Music Video Awards in 2010 and the Album of the Year award in 2011.

 2Face's 5th and 6th Studio Albums

Away and Beyond debuted in 2012 with My Rainbow as the album's lead single, while the 6th studio album- The Ascencion, was released in 2014 by Hypertek Digital and 960 Music Group. As expected, the 6th album is a follow-up of the previous album. It featured guest artists like Vector, Kim Almarcha, Iceberg Slim, Rock Steady, Fally Ipupa, Dammy Krane and Bridget Kelly.

The album debuted on the Billboard World Album Chart at Number 12 and has four singles- Ife Dinma, Let Somebody Love You, Go and Diaspora Woman.

 Awards won by 2Face Idibia

2Face Idibia has won lots of awards in his music career. Here is a list of some of the awards.

• Best Male Vocalist 2002 Affinity Awards
• Best Video A.M.E.N Awards, 2004
• Best Male Vocalist, A.M.E.N Awards, 2004
• Music of the Year, Excellence Recognition Awards, 2004
• Best Album of the Year, Nigeria Entertainment Awards, New York, 2004
• Song of the Year for 'African Queen' Nigeria Entertainment Awards New York, 2004
• Best African Act, Channel O Music Video Awards, 2005
• Best African Act, Kora Awards, 2005
• Best Musical Artiste, Afro Nollywood Award, 2005
• Special Recognition Award, Hip Hop World Awards, 2005
• Musician of the Year, The Future Awards, 2006
• Best African Act, MOBO Awards, 2007
• Song of the Decade, Nigerian Music Awards, 2007
• Best Selling Nigerian Artist, World Music Awards, Monaco, Spain, 2008
• Best African Act, Australian African Awards, 2008
• Best R&B MTV Africa Music Awards, 2009
• Artist of the Year, MTV Africa Music Awards, 2010
• Best Pop Video for "Implication", Sound City Awards, 2010
• Best International Act: Africa BET Awards of 2011
• Artist of the Year, Hip Hop World Awards- "The Headies", 2011
• Album of the Year - Ascension- "Ben TV Awards 2014"

 Fun Facts about 2Face Idibia

There is more about 2Face that lots of his fans do not know about. For instance, he draws his inspiration from the popular music icons Bob Marley and Fela Kuti.

2Baba is both an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. He established 'Hypertek Digital' in 2006 after he departed from Kennis Music. It is now home to recording Artists like Dammy Krane and Victor Uwaifo. It is also a subsidiary of the 960 Music Group.

His NGO, called "2 Face Idibia, is a foundation established with the motto and mission to serve humanity.

He has signed several endorsements deals with Nigerian Breweries, Guinness, etc. In 2009, he became the brand ambassador for the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The same year, he was appointed the Youth Ambassador for Peace Summit.

He is reported to own a five-bedroom duplex at Richmond Gate Estate and another luxury home on Banana Island, both estimated to be worth over 400 million Naira.