Nigerian singer Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo, popularly known as Blackface, has recounted how he brought 2Baba and Faze together to form the now-defunct music group Plantashun Boiz.
Blackface shared the story during an appearance on the Fresh Off The Boat podcast, reflecting on the formation of the group and the vision that guided them at the beginning of their careers.
Plantashun Boiz, comprising Blackface, 2Baba and Faze, emerged around 2000 and became one of Nigeria’s notable music groups before splitting in 2004 after 2Baba left to pursue a solo career under Kennis Music.
Blackface said he had already developed a clear ambition for the group after meeting 2Baba in secondary school. According to him, he believed 2Baba’s vocal ability and the potential of his team could take them beyond Nigeria.
“At our tender age, we were hearing people who were already doing music. The image I created with the team was that we had to go international. And everything was geared towards going international,” he said.
“We met in secondary school. 2Baba was in a different team. Their group could have gone big if they had a mastermind. I listened to his (2Baba) voice, and I was like, these guys can go international.
“I finished school before 2Baba, and I went to him. Music and agriculture go hand in hand. My father was a soldier. When he finished, he returned to his farm. The music was always synonymous with me going to the farm. I was always singing, writing, creating, penning down. I had a radio at the back of the boys’ quarters.”
The singer also explained how Faze became the final member of the group.
Prompt News reports Blackface said he was impressed by Faze’s vocals and personality when they met and subsequently believed he could provide what the group was missing.
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“About Faze, I met him and I liked his vocals, and liked his personality. And I felt maybe he was the third member we never really had. That’s why I was like, can this guy join us? I was thinking we were already going international.
“We had (push backs) but we squashed that. We got to understand why we needed him. It was just like we needed to recruit the best of the best.”
Blackface also recalled the financial commitment he made during the group’s early days, revealing that he initially paid for their studio sessions himself.
According to him, the arrangement changed once Plantashun Boiz began making money, with the members subsequently pooling their earnings to fund their music.
“I started (paying for the studio sessions). Then we made money as a group, and we invested the money as a group into the production,” he added.
