Singer Joe El Opens Up About the Challenges He Faced Due to His Resemblance to 2Baba
In a recent episode of the ‘Hoha’ podcast, Joe El shared the tough realities he’s faced in his music career as a result of his striking resemblance to 2Baba.
He spoke about the numerous occasions where music industry professionals and media personalities would deny him access to their platforms solely because of his physical resemblance to 2Baba.
According to Joe El, these rejections left him feeling devastated. He recalled being turned away from music events, including the Festac Carnival in 2013, and even radio stations, like Cool FM and Sound City, would not play his music or book him for interviews due to his perceived similarity to 2Baba.
He also shared a chilling encounter with a Sound City presenter who confronted him at Club Rumours, boasting that they had instructed their team not to play his music or feature him on their platform because he was seen as an imitation of 2Baba.
Joe El revealed that even his own team members, including his mom and record label boss, Baba Keke, tried to downplay the issue, advising him to remain calm and not get too worked up about it.
However, the tide began to turn for Joe El after he collaborated with 2Baba on the 2015 hit single “Hold On”. After that, the public started to view him as an artist in his own right, rather than just a doppelganger of 2Baba.
When discussing his decision to part ways with Kennis Music after 12 years, Joe El kept things brief, stating simply that the contract had ended.
