2face's Biography

Innocent Ujah Idibia (born in Jos, Plateau State,
Nigeria), better known by his stage name 2Face Idibia,
is a Nigerian singer , song-writer and record producer.
He is one of the most decorated and successful hip pop
artists in Africa. He is consistently ranked as one the
best African musicians of all-time. 2face has received 1
MTV Europe Award, 1 World Music Award, five Headies
Awards (Hip-hop award), four Channel O Music Awards
and one BET award for his musical work, 4 MTV Africa
Music Awards, 1 MOBO award, 1 KORA award, and
numerous additional nominations. He was a member of
the defunct Plantashun Boyz. The disbandment of
Plantashun Boyz saw the release of Idibia's debut album
Face 2 face (2004), which established him as a viable
solo artist.
Following the release of his debut album in 2004, he
released his sophomore album in 2006, which contains
hits "One love", "True love, "4 Instance". He is the
founder of Hypertek Entertainment. He married
Nigerian television personality and actress Annie
Macaulay in 2013. They have one daughter named
Isabel Idibia. However it has been reported from many
sources such as columnist Julieta Margenats from the
Beunos Aires News Source Clarin, that he is currently
having a relationship with Gloria Nweke from Enugu,
Nigeria who is currently living in Brasilia Brasil.
Early life
Innocent Idibia was born in Jos, Nigeria. He is from the
Idoma ethnic group in the southern part of Benue State,
in central Nigeria. [1] He attended 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 organized 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.
↑Jump back a section
Early Career
While attending IMT, 2face Idibia started composing
and singing jingles at the GB Fan Club at Enugu State
Broadcasting Services (ESBS) in 1996. He moved to
Lagos and started performing with rapper BlackFace,
forming the Plantashun Boyz. He had met BlackFace
while attending IMT. [2] He started calling himself
"2Face" in 1996. He cited the reasoning as "trying to
demarcate my personal life with my business life. [3]
In 2006, his song "African Queen" was used in the
soundtrack for the film Phat Girlz, which was released
internationally.[4] The Plantashun Boyz came together
briefly in 2007 to record an album which they titled
Plan B. [2] He also released a promotion album in 2008
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 2009. Tuface released
two singles from the international version of his
Unstoppable album and is the first Nigerian artist to
have an appropriately priced[5] international album. [6]
2face Idibia released The Unstoppable International
Edition album in 2010. For the album, he won two
awards at the 2010 SoundCity Music Video Awards. [7]
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.[8] Upon
leaving the music label Kennis Music , he set up his own
record label known as Hypertek Entertainment. [9] 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". [10] 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.
↑Jump back a section
Personal life
2Face as experienced near death events including gun
shots from an armed robbery. [6][11]
On May 2, 2012, 2Face Idibia and Annie Macaulay, a
Nollywood actress, got married in Lagos , in a private
ceremony. [12][13] 2face announced his marriage via
his Twitter page. He has a child with Annie Macaulay,
and six children from previous relations. Annie
Macaulay and 2Face had their traditional wedding on
the 8 March 2013 in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State Nigeria.The
couple also had a white wedding in Dubai,on the 23
March 2013 on an island with Nigerian and Ghanaian
celebrities all present to see the long term couple tie the
knot.
↑Jump back a section
Philanthropy
2Face has established an NGO called 2Face Idibia
Reach-Out Foundation.[14] which motto is service to
humanity. In 2009, 2Face was appointed as
ambassador by National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control
.[15] He released a song "Man Unkind" in order to raise
awareness on the menace of fake and sub-standard
food and drug products in Nigeria. [16] In 2009, he was
presented with the prestigious International Youth
Ambassador for Peace Summit and the Nigeria Youth
Merit Award by the National Youth Council of Nigeria in
recognition of his contributions to youth development
in Nigeria. [17]
↑Jump back a section
Discography
Studio Albums
2004: Face 2 Face
2006: Grass 2 Grace
2008: The Unstoppable
2010: The Unstoppable International Edition
2012: Away & Beyond
↑Jump back a section
Awards
Won
Best Male Vocalist 2002 Affinity Awards
Music of the Year 2004 Excellence Recognition
Awards
Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment
Industry 2004 Award for Excellence
Best Male Vocalist 2004 A.M.E.N Awards
Song of the Year 2004 A.M.E.N Awards
Best New Act Male 2004 A.M.E.N Awards
Best Video 2004 A.M.E.N Awards
Song of the year for "African Queen" 2004 Nigeria
Entertainment Awards New York
Best Album of the year 2004 Nigeria Entertainment
Awards New York
Best Hip Hop and R&B Artiste 2004 Nigeria
Entertainment Awards New York
Musician of the Year 2004 City People Awards for
Excellence
Best Male Video 2005 Channel O Music Video
Awards
Best African Video of the year 2005 Channel O Music
Video Awards
Best African Act 2005 Channel O Music Video
Awards
Best African Act 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards [18]
Best African Act 2005 Kora Awards[19]
Best Musical Artiste 2005 Afro Nollywood Awards
African Song of The Year (Non Ghanaian) 2005
Ghana Music Awards
Special Recognition Award 2005 Hip Hop World
Awards
The Outstanding Musician of the Year 2005 Black
Heritage Awards for Excellence
Best Song of The Year 2005 G.C.E International
Awards
Musician of The Year 2006 The Future Awards
Africa Break Through Artist of the Year 2006 Nigeria
Entertainment Awards New York
Best Album of the Year 2007 Nigeria Entertainment
Awards New York
Best African Act 2007 MOBO Awards[20]
Song of the Decade 2007 Nigerian Music Awards
Best R'n'B / Pop album 2008 Hip-Hop World Awards
Best African Act 2008 Australian African Awards
Best selling Nigerian Artist 2008 World Music
Awards , Monaco, Spain [21]
Best R&B MTV Africa Music Awards 2009[22]
Artist of the Year MTV Africa Music Awards 2010
Best Male MTV Africa Music Awards 2010
Most Gifted West African Video 2010 Channel O
Music Video Awards [23]
Best Pop Video for "Implication" 2010 SoundCity
Awards
Best Western 2010 SoundCity Awards
New Champions For An Enduring Culture 2011 16th
edition of the Annual THISDAY Awards presented by
former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger [24]
Best International Act: Africa BET Awards of
2011 [25]
Album of the year 2011 Hip-Hop World Awards –
"The Headies" [26]
Artist of the year 2011 Hip-Hop World Awards –
"The Headies"
Best R'n'B / Pop album 2011 Hip-Hop World Awards
– "The Headies"
Nominated
Best African Act 2005 MOBO
Artist of the Year 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards [27]
Best Male 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards
Best Video for "Enter the Place" 2009 MTV Africa
Music Awards
Most Gifted African West Video for "Only Me" 2011
Channel O Music Video Awards [28]
Most Gifted Video of the Year for "Only Me" 2011
Channel O Music Video Awards