I’m Bringing Freshness Into Nigerian Hip-Hop Scene

Folarin Falana, better known as Falz, is a young, fast rising hip-hop star. He recently released his debut album, Wazup Guy. In this interview with FUNSHO AROGUNDADE, the son of famous lawyer, Femi Falana talks about his debut album and the freshness he is bringing into the music scene

You recently released your debut with a lavish album listening concert. Why go that length?

It is important for people to get to know about the brand ‘Falz’ and also to know that we have officially released the album. We decided to have a corporate album launch concept wherever you have important people in attendance and my very core fans to come and be a part of such an occasion. We put up a great event for them to listen to the kind of music they will find in the album raw and live, and then be encouraged to go out there and buy the album.

Unlike other hip hop artistes, you performed with a live band, how easy was it for you to coordinate and deliver such performance? 

With music, you have to be ready to do this thing. The art of performing live music in our industry is dying now. Some people are becoming lazier as what they do now is to mime their tracks. I don’t give in to such. The actual art of performing is being able to give rendition of your song in a way that your fans will be able to connect in a live setting. So I felt that it was important for me to give my fans and those important people present at the launch a view of my ability through that live performance and that was why I worked with the live band and I really enjoyed it, it was great.

Tell us about the album, Wazup Guy?

Wazup Guy is my first official album and I want to use the album to introduce myself in a way that people will see what my musical performance is all about. In the album, I showed a lot of my versatility. I was diverse with the kind of sound that I recorded. I worked with different producers from Spellz, Tin Tin, DJ Woske, Kid Konnect, JRS and a lot of different guys. In the album, I also worked with different artistes including Olamide, Oyinkansola, Yemi Alade, Poe, Show Dem Camp and I also featured Dr Sid on the deluxe version of the album.  I brought in all these great guys together to create a great sound, a great mix and different kind of music. In terms of lyrics, I was able to focus on important issues and be conscious of my music, because a lot of people don’t know that side of me exists. But with my music, I infused a lot of substance. I like to infuse conscious issues and things that are happening around me. Generally, that has to influence me and has to show in my music.

How much of conscious issues have you put into this album, given the hip-hop feels that hover around you?

What I am trying to do is to make my music different and unique. Despite the fact that I might be making pop or hip hop music, I am also trying to concentrate on my lyrics. I am very particular about the lyrical content of my music and trying as much as possible to make sure that my music is meaningful to everyone. And my music has substance as you can tell from this album. If you listen to the full album you will see that there are few songs with very strong messages. Songs like How far? and Senator. They are songs with very strong messages that speak about our political environment in Nigeria. Those songs speak about the need for things to be different. I think with this album people will be able to see that I focus on creativity and the art of making good music with substance.

What exactly are you bringing into the Nigerian music industry?

Well, everybody knows that the America music industry is the best in the world. So if we have been opportune to travel abroad, seen how things operate over there and how they are able to properly account for everything, I think it behoves on us coming back to influence things positively in the Nigeria music scene. What we have seen and learnt abroad, now coming back home, I think we can apply this knowledge to our own music industry and try to make things better here. I am coming here to breath fresh air into our music and general pop culture.

You studied law and here you are a musician. Where is the connection?

They didn’t connect, but it just happened naturally. Initially I was just going to school to get my degree in Law and I finished and qualified. Along the line, I fell in love with music.

So, it was a spontaneous interest?

Not really but I started writing music while I was still in secondary school at Olasore International Secondary School in Osun State. A friend of mine and I formed a small group where we used to write songs and rap. And the audience in school liked us. Gradually, I developed strong passion for music and when I was in the university in United Kingdom, I continued writing and recording music.

When did you decide to enter the studio and record commercially?

I eventually decided to take music serious when I came back home, going to the law school. After I have qualified to be a barrister, I decided to really concentrate and focus on music.

What was the reaction of your parents, especially your dad (Femi Falana) both who are notable lawyers to your playing music?

It was a surprise more than anything else to them because neither my dad nor my mom has any background in music. So to them, It was coming from the blues. And to be honest, they were actually never against it. All I can remember is that they said I have to make them proud by going out to qualify as a barrister and if the music is what I am going to do thereafter, they will encourage me. I think that I have done and they have been encouraging me up till today.

So you kept the talent away from them until you were abroad?

They didn’t really know the extent of my involvement until I finished from the university. Although they had an idea because there was one time when I was in secondary school and I was reported by a teacher to my mother that I wasn’t reading during prep, but always busy writing lyrics. So she got angry and flogged me. Since back then, I had to face my study just to do well but I still kept on writing my music. It was when I finished my study at University of Readings that they really knew the extent of my involvement in music.

With the diversity you brought into your music, who and what would you say is your big influence?

Growing up, I listened to a lot of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. You know my dad was his lawyer for a very long time. So I was exposed to a lot of Fela songs right from when I was young. I also listen to Trybesmen and Plantashaun Boiz. These were the guys that were hot while I was growing up. But generally, my influence comes from my environment, things that are happening around me. I tried to pick a topic and develop my write up about them. I tried to be very creative with my music. Even when I am writing something groovy, I still want to make sense with the concept of the song.

You write, rap and sing. Which one is your strength?

I think my strength will be my writing and rapping.

Now that you are a music entrepreneur, what happens to your law degree?

My law degree is still very much in existence. I still do practice sometimes. But with my deep involvement in music, running my own label too, the practice has reduced for now. I am not too active with the legal practice, it is music now but the law still exists. Whenever I need to do anything as a lawyer I can always do that because I still have my certificate.

You have the moniker, Falz The Bahd Guy. How bad are you?

The name is ironic but not a negative kind of bad. Bahd is actually my kind of bad. It is an acronym of ‘Brilliant And Highly Distinctive’ guy, so that is where my bahd comes from.

Which artistes are you looking forward to collaborate with in the Nigerian music scene?

I will like to work with Tuface Idibia and Wizkid. Tuface especially because this is someone who has been there for long time. He is a very great artiste. I will also like to work with M.I definitely.

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

I see Falz the Bahd Guy as an international superstar in the nearest future. The well-known beyond the borders of Nigeria.  On the Nigeria music scene, I want to be well respected and well accepted even abroad. I see myself as an artiste winning awards both locally and internationally. I want people to be moved by the kind of music that I make. These are the kind of projections I have for myself.