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2BABA Ranks Burna Boy Above Wizkid and Davido in “Big 3” Hierarchy

Legend 2Baba (Innocent Idibia) declares Burna Boy the current leader of Afrobeats over Wizkid and Davido on the Mic On Podcast. Read his full statement and the Fela comparison here.
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Veteran Nigerian musician Innocent “2Baba” Idibia has weighed in on the long-running “Big 3” debate, placing Burna Boy ahead of Wizkid and Davido in the current hierarchy. 

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The comment came during his appearance on the Mic On Podcast with Seun Okinbaloye on February 7, 2026, where the conversation touched on music, legacy, and how success should be measured in today’s Afrobeats landscape.

2Baba Believes Burna Boy is “Top of the Chain”

Asked directly to share his view on the endless debate on who was greater between the trio of Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid, 2Baba made it clear that his answer was not rooted in sentiment or personal alliances.

While stressing that he enjoys music from all three artists, he said Burna Boy currently sits “at the top of the chain” based on what he can observe from an understanding of the music world.

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According to him, Burna Boy stands out in terms of talent, artistry, and delivery, adding that different artists naturally bring different styles to the table. He was careful to draw a line between musical impact and financial success, explaining that he does not have insight into their bank accounts or private milestones, and therefore cannot judge based on those factors. His assessment, he said, comes purely from musical influence and reach.

Burna Boy’s Global Ascension 

Burna Boy’s recent run provides a strong argument for 2Baba’s position. His recent tour has broken multiple records, officially making him the highest-grossing African touring artist in history. 

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At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Burna Boy also secured his seventh consecutive nomination, a record for an African artist, earning nods for Best Global Music Album and Best African Music Performance. His career Grammy nominations now stand at 13, further reinforcing his global footprint.

The icon who paved the way for the sonic and commercial advancement of Nigerian pop music acknowledged the impact and success of all three superstars, who he says are doing fantastically well.

He further added that the choice of who one considers the best of the greatest is often informed by taste rather than a definitive standard of judgment.

2Baba Shuts Down the Fela vs Wizkid Comparison

That measured tone extended to another debate he addressed on the podcast: comparisons between Wizkid and Fela Kuti. 2Baba described those arguments as “ridiculous,” saying they are disrespectful to Fela and unfair to Wizkid because both artists represent completely different eras and purposes. 

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His comments came shortly after Fela received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in January 2026, following weeks of comparison on who was the greater artist in a debate sparked by a faceoff between Seun Kuti and a section of the Wizkid FC fan group. 

The Unending Debate on the Afrobeats Big 3

For years now, the “Big 3” label has been used by fans, critics, and blogs to describe Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy, the trio widely seen as the most dominant Nigerian artists on the global stage.

The debate on who is greater has been a heated one with fans, the media, musicians, and even the stars involved, all weighing in on the subject. In late 2025, iconic rapper and label boss Olamide Baddo described Wizkid as the greatest star of the modern era of Nigerian music, which expectedly generated debate from stars. 

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All of Davido, Wizkid, and Burna Boy have actively participated in this debate and also described themselves as the greatest. Davido calls himself the “001”, Wizkid is known as the “Biggest Bird” and “Number 1”, while Burna Boy often refers to himself as “The Highest”.

2Baba’s position will surely carry weight as he’s one of the few stars who can also lay claim to being the greatest musician in Nigerian pop music history. However, it’s surely not going to end the debate that continues to see more chapters added to it.  

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