NIGERIA: Legendary Nigerian singer, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has earned global recognition as his evergreen hit, African Queen, clinched the number one spot on Billboard’s list of the Top 50 Afrobeats Songs of All-Time.
The timeless love ballad, released on May 15, 2004, continues to resonate with audiences more than two decades after it first hit the airwaves.
Billboard described the chart as a celebration of the best sounds out of Africa, ranking songs that have shaped and defined the Afrobeats movement worldwide.
While 2Baba’s African Queen secured the top position, Wizkid emerged as the only Nigerian artiste with two entries in the top 10 — with Ojuelegba at number two and Essence featuring Tems at number five.
The top 10 also featured some of Afrobeats’ biggest anthems: Favour’s Nwa Baby (Ashawo Remix) at number three, Rema’s Calm Down at number four, and CKay’s Love Nwantiti at number six. Other iconic songs include D’banj’s Oliver Twist, Davido’s Fall, Burna Boy’s Ye, and P-Square’s Chop My Money Remix featuring Akon.
Female acts also made strong appearances, with Yemi Alade’s Johnny ranking at number 15, making her the highest-placed female artiste on the list.
Beyond Nigeria, Ghana’s Fuse ODG and Sarkodie also shone with Azonto (featuring Itz Tiffany) and Adonai (featuring Castro), ranking 18th and 19th respectively.
Classic hits like Styl-Plus’ Olufunmi, 9ice’s Gongo Aso, P-Square’s Do Me, and Davido’s Dami Duro took the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th spots.
The ranking, which also highlighted works from Wande Coal, Phyno, and Olamide, was hailed by fans as proof of Afrobeats’ rich history and growing influence on the global music scene.
