#TheNextBigThing: Falz is Femi Falana’s son, but that’s just ‘shakara’

by Doyin Jaiyesinmi

Falz

More than just being a rap artist, Folarin “Falz” Falana is an entertainer. Within a short period of time, he has captured the heart of many with his rib-cracking lyrics. Behind all the jokes and banter however is a determined young man

Let’s go to the very beginning. At what point did you decide that rap was it for you?

Rap was it for me while I was studying in Uni. At that point I realized I could do rap professionally. Before then, it was just something that I liked to do. Now it’s my passion.

As the son of the renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, one would have expected you to follow his footsteps. Do your parents support your decision to rap?

Many people believe that my dad is strict but he has surprisingly been supportive. My mum didn’t react very well when she first found out. I was in Olashore (a renowned secondary school in Nigeria) at the time and I got reported for writing lyrics during prep. Imagine my mum’s reaction when she heard that instead of studying, her son was writing lyrics! That wasn’t why they sent me to school. We’ve come a long way since then though and they’ve accepted my decision.

Your hit song ‘Shakara’ has to be one of the funniest singles in Nigeria. What was the idea behind the song?

Initially the song came as a result of the need to do something interesting. I was literally free styling on the track. I just thought of coming up with something people would love and relate to; you know the normal boy toasts girl scenario. I spiced it up with a bit of ‘razz swagger’ to add the fun element to it.

Yes speaking of the ‘razz swagger’, that has become your signature. How do you switch effortlessly between a Lagos accent and a posh British accent in your songs?

You know, I think I’m actually razz! So it comes naturally. Or it could be that my razzness is somewhere deep within and I just tap into it when I am writing my songs. The transition to either accent is just a smooth one for me.

Your lyrics are witty and funny. What inspires you to write?

It could be anything really. I get it at random moments sometimes. Anything can trigger the emotion and I think to myself, I can actually put this down and make a song.

Are you currently under any record label?

Yes; my independent record label, Bahdguys Records. I do everything myself with my manager.

Any challenges?

Funny enough there haven’t been that many challenges. I would say getting my stuff out there on the major platforms has been my main challenge. Social networking has made the world smaller so there are fewer challenges now.

How do you handle the fame?

Being famous is not a big deal. I try to stay level-headed focusing on the task at hand and where I am going.

What projects are you currently working on? Should your fans be expecting an album from you anytime soon?

Yes. I’m currently putting together an album. I’ll put out some singles as a prelude to the album so watch out for that.

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