Afro-pop star, Innocent Ibidia, famously known as Tuface Idibia (now Tu-Baba), is more than just a musical genius. He is also blessed with a great sense of humour. The multi-award winning star has continued to remain on top of his game. Today, he is an ambassador of a number of big brands in Nigeria. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, he talks about his career, marriage and pains, among other things.
YOU are one artiste who has enjoyed endorsements across brands. Apart from your talent, what do you think is the secret?
Mehn! That question is difficult to answer. I think it is the people who can answer that question for me. But I think it is the talent, grace of God and then the love and support of my fans. All these, I think, add up to make me who I am and what I get.
As someone who has been in the industry for over two decades, what do you think of artistes who flaunt their wealth on the social media?
It’s a matter of choice. Some people have it and they flaunt it. Some people just do it, so that people will think they have it. Dem dey do am maybe make people no feel say dem no own, Maybe dey wan arm robbers to come visit them.
But why do you dislike that habit?
For me, whatever I have will speak for its self. If e dey e dey; if e no dey, e no dey; no ojoro for inside.
Why did you change your name from Tuface to Tu-Baba?
I can’t run away from the name Tuface. Before I changed my name to Tu-Baba, everybody had started calling me Tu-Baba. So, it’s not as if I changed anything. People still call me Tuface and I still answer. But I just wanted it to be official. On my next CD, you will see Tu-Baba. But as I said, I can’t run away from 2face.
You recently signed up for the ‘No Violence Just Vote’ campaign. So, do you have a voter’s card?
The last time they did it, I didn’t have a voter’s card because I wasn’t in Nigeria. But this time around, I will definitely obtain one.
What is the real story of you and Joel, your look-alike, whom you recently did a song with?
It’s been like a matter of curiosity. Many people have been saying that this guy looks like me. We just wanted to say, okay, make dem compare and contrast, so that dem go fit differentiate say to be the same thing we be exactly. Yes, for peaceful co-existence (laughs).
Are you a card-carrying member of any political party, as the 2015 general election is around the corner?
Over the years, I’ve never really been associated directly with any political party, but I’ve been associated with people. For instance, I’ve been advising young Nigerians lately that it’s time for us to move from the fence and take a bold step and choose rightly. If we keep complaining only, we go old unto complain. So, it’s good for us to choose rightly.
So, which party are you supporting?
Me, I neva choose yet, but I will definitely choose well.
What’s your take on your colleagues vying for political offices?
Yes, they are bona fide Nigerians. They have the right to serve in their capacity, if they wish to do so. So, politics is not out of their reach.
Will you be toeing the same line?
Right now, I’m not interested in politics, but I’m only interested in the process. I’m interested in peaceful elections and I am interested in advising well-meaning Nigerians to get involved in the electoral process. I’m also interested in encouraging those who have the interest of Nigeria at heart to continue to do so.
Your album made it to the U.S billboard; so, has that affected your appearance fee?
It’s a good record-breaking thing; so, I am excited about it. However, it depends on the kind of event you want to do and on my availability. So, there is no particular fixed fee. In fact, there has never been any particular fixed fee for me.
Who is your favourite actress?
Wow! That’s a difficult question for me to answer now. Jada Pinkett is my favourite actress.
Your last album, Ascension, is quite different, in terms of content. What exactly did you set out to achieve with this album?
For me, it’s all about the music; and many times, I’m not afraid to experiment with sound. I’m not afraid to put out what I feel when I go into the studio that particular point in time. So, that’s just me being bold enough to do something that is not the common sound on ground.
How did you get Bridget Kelly to feature in your song, Let Somebody Love you?
It’s a case of somebody knows somebody who knows somebody. I was in the U.S. and she came for the same event, so we just hooked up.
Are you going to do something on cancer, given the fact that your father died of it?
As a matter of fact, September 18, was the Prostate Cancer Awareness Day. And on that day, I didn’t celebrate my birthday. Rather, I teamed up with the Red Cross. We kicked off a cancer awareness campaign. We did it for that day, but it’s going to be ongoing.
What’s your take on artistes who just believe in cooking up beats without bothering on contents?
There are two sides to that point: some artistes just know how to package themselves. Entertainment is broad. So, entertainment comes in different forms. What this person finds amusing may not be amusing to the other person. Also, what this person enjoys may not be cool to the other person.
Having said this, there are some who deliberately do this thing because they want to just target the concerts or the clubs. For those ones, they have their plans. They know how to coordinate themselves. But there are some who just follow the bandwagon; they actually don’t have anything to offer. But because dem see beat, dey think oh na dat thing dey rain now make we self just do the video, without any plan or any package. But as far as that goes, it’s allowed, if it works for you. But some people will never go that route.
Some people look for beat and they write on it and vice-versa. In your case, do you get the beat first and then write on it?
Sometimes, I write it as a poem. Sometimes, I create the beat and the song together. Sometimes, the beat comes and then I write on the beat. Also, sometimes, the music comes, depending on the situation at hand at that point in time.
Where is your first producer, Nelson Brown?
I haven’t seen Nelson Brown for quite some time now, but I believe he is cool. I haven’t seen him for over a year now. The last time I saw him was at my wedding in Dubai.
Are we going to hear another African Queen?
One thing about that kind of music is that you are the one who uses your hand to set yourself up because everything you do, people are always going to compare. It’s always a problem when you have a monster hit because they believe that the next one has to top the previous one. The standard is already high for you, so you have to break your own record.
What other goals do you aspire to achieve in music?
For me, I just want to live a very peaceful and content life. I’m going to do music for a long time. But definitely, I’m still going to do a couple of other businesses. Anyone that I feel comfortable doing, I will go into it. There are lots of opportunities. I wouldn’t say that I want to be as rich as Bill Gate or Dangote, but I want to be able to provide for my family and do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it.
What makes 2face Idibia cry and when was the last time you cried?
I think the last time I cried was when the doctor said to me: “He has gone”. It just dawned on me that I’m not going to see my father again. But generally, what makes me cry is (pauses)… I don’t judge people. Sometimes, when I see people wrongly accused or judged, it really, really touches that part of me that is deep.
What would you say marriage has done for you?
It has made me calm down a little bit, some kind waka waka now. I think it’s balancing my whole life.
How do you like your Hennessey?
Straight (laughs).
So, what was it like featuring with Wizkid in the Hennessy Artistry experience?
It’s a very welcome development. The Hennessey Artistry is about blending music and every other thing together. For me and Wizzy, it’s been a nice experience. We’ve not done any song before. This is the first collabo we are doing and it was Hennessy that brought it about. He’s a cool young man, so it’s all good.
When was the first time you tasted Hennessy?
The first time I tasted Hennessy was a long time ago. I can’t exactly pinpoint the date. But e don tey e.
What value do you think that Hennessy is adding to the music industry?
First and foremost, in this concert now, there is employment for a lot of people. The brand is going out of Nigeria; it has gone to Ghana and South Africa. It has turned into music export. It gives many of our fans the opportunity to see us live. Most of all, I think it’s going to create a lot of unity. Hennessy is a combination of music and responsible behaviour.
How do you define your style?
I’m not all that a fashionistas. I like to keep it simple and I like black a lot.
What’s your advice to young people who want to be like you?
I will just advise them to basically know that music business is a serious business. It’s as hectic and challenging as any other career.
How do you relax?
I used to read books a lot. But lately, it’s movies and TV. My books are wide range; I love John Grisham.
