In a recent interview with AFRIMMA, veteran Nigerian singer Innocent Ujah Idibia, fondly called 2Baba or 2face emphasized his continued relevance in the music scene despite the rise of new Afrobeats artists.
He attributed Afrobeats’ current success to the sacrifices made by him and his peers.
2Baba advised young artists to focus on trusting the process rather than being overly ambitious.
The father of seven-pointed to Burna Boy as an example, highlighting Burna Boy’s path of starting small, selling out small venues, and gradually building a strong fan base before moving on to larger arenas and stadiums.
“Burna Boy sells out Madison Square Garden and they (other artists) 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,” he said.