The entertainment sector is widely seen as being connected with controversy.
Just a small number of performers, meanwhile, have been able to “positively” use it. Falz, a generally known Nigerian rapper, musician, and lawyer named Folarin Falana, is one of them.
The proverb “an apple does not fall far from its tree” is further supported by Falz’s upbringing as the son of social justice crusader and legal giant Chief Femi Falana, SAN.
He has been compared to the late afrobeat pioneer and political activist Fela Anklápó Kuti because of his thought-provoking songs.
Nigeria is this
Falz has always produced aggressive music, but it wasn’t until his 2018 rendition of Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” that the majority of listeners became aware of him as a performer who cares about social issues.
The rapper covered a wide range of social topics in the song.
“Absolutely Poor. There are subpar medical facilities. In the first line of the song, he raps, “Corruption is inevitable since we run a predatory, neocolonial capitalist system that is built on deception and exploitation.
Philomina Chieshe, a sales clerk at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Makurdi, Benue State, said a mysterious snake devoured N36 million in cash that she was carrying. Falz called Chieshe out for her allegation.
Howdy, Mistress Philomena
36 million disappear from your workplace
You speak like an animal.
During the 2018 Commonwealth Economic Conference in London, the UK-educated attorney also denounced false pastors and prophets and addressed President Muhammadu Buhari’s contentious condemnation of Nigerian youngsters as being lethargic.
It’s Nigeria,
Praise and praise is being sung as the pastor places his hands on the members’ breasts and casts out demons.
Daily lack of electricity o
Your workers continue to hold down many jobs, and they complain that they are lazy.
Nevertheless, the singer’s choice of women wearing hijabs to represent the kidnapped Chibok girls in the music video caused more controversy than the song’s contents.
Yakubu
The title of Falz’s most recent combative song, “Yakubu,” which featured “Vector the Viper,” is a reference to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman.
In the contentious presidential election on February 25, Yakubu declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate, as the winner. Due to some alleged electoral fraud, violence, and lack of openness, he has drawn strong criticism.
The track was made available on March 30, 2023. The rapper in the song questioned the INEC Chairman’s assessment of the just held general elections in 2023.
“Wey da Madam Philomena
Money vanish from your office
36 million
You talk say na animal.”
The UK-trained lawyer also called out fake pastors/prophets and addressed President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial criticism of Nigerian youths as lazy at the 2018 Commonwealth Business Forum in London.
“This is Nigeria
Praise and worship we singing now
Pastor put his hands n the breast of his members
He’s pulling the demons out
This is Nigeria
No electricity daily o
Your people are still working multiple jobs
And they talk say we lazy o.”
However, what stirred the most controversies was not the lyrics of the song, but the singer’s use of hijab-wearing ladies in the video to depict the abducted Chibok girls.
Yakubu
Falz’s most recent confrontational song ‘Yakubu’ which featured ‘Vector tha Viper’ is titled after the chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Yakubu conducted the controversial February 25 presidential election and announced APC Presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-Elect. He has been condemned by many due to some purported electoral malpractice, violence and lack of transparency.
The song was released on March 30, 2023. In the song, the rapper questioned the INEC Chairman’s judgement on the just concluded 2023 general elections.
“Mr Yakubu! ẹ ma n se bi fraudster
You don’t want to prosper
Come and collect Oscar
Three hundred billion te gba lọwọ ijọba
Kí le fi se ná sir? (A ti fi je mossa)
Twitter dey talk
This one go hot
Other chairman corrupt but
This one is not
Youth sef dey talk
When we protest, they shot
Make we carry PVC
Make we see wetin go sup (Go sup)
Suddenly, e scatter,” the rappers lament in the opening verse.
In the second verse, Vector raps: “Mr Yakubu who is not like Gowon (No)
He’s not head of state (No)
He doesn’t need a gun (No, no)
He took the results verified by a lot (Yes)
The honorable court even ruled back then that all parties can go ahead and access the source of their claims.”
In a recent interview, Falz said he is against the victory of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu because “the rules and regulations that were supposed to guide these elections were not applied.”
He also disclosed that he does confrontational music because he is not afraid of death, stressing that life in Nigeria is not meaningful.
He added that he would rather go down fighting for justice than remain silent and die from the failed system of the country.
