Lawyer turned singer, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz started the new year with the release of a new single titled “Talk” and then went on to drop another album which he titled “Moral Instructions.”
The nine track album is not the usual Nigerian song but an outburst voicing out the bad and ugly things about the Nigerian society. You may call it a revolutionary album and you won’t be wrong. The rapper also deliberately covered some of the legendary Fela Kuti’s songs including; “Follow Follow,” “Amen” and “E No Finish”
From all indications, Falz used the Moral Instructions album as an attempt to take us back to the morals we seem to have lost as individuals and as a nation. He focused on the wanton killings, insecurity, indifference to the abject poverty of our neighbours and total psyche of the country and hypocrisy.
The album also addressed the money-grubbing of pastors and regular people, the immorality in transactional sex, and the selfishness of politicians.
The album is intentional and does not have the kind of songs you “Shaku Shaku” or “Zanku” to. It’s a thought provoking album aimed to re-educate and re-orientate Nigerians on some of the negative things that are still happening since the legendary Fela talked about them.
The album has got Nigerians on social media comparing the rapper to the late Afro beat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti due to the way he addressed key socio-economic problems confronting the country in the album.
It may seem as though everyone has been on a lookout for the next ‘Fela’, they associate him to some musicians including Wizkid, Burna Boy and Falz. However, Fela was known for his political and artistic seriousness compared to his colleagues at that time.
Can any of the current artistes really fit into Fela’s big shoes?
Falz seem to be the best to at least put his foot in Fela’s shoe after he released his “This is Nigeria” song last year and the now trending Moral Instructions album.
The arguments on social media go back and forth on Falz being the next Fela or not.
Here are some of the reactions on social media on the topic.
–Courage is inner power to make you fight for your very existence & trying, when you know you may lose. COURAGE & DETERMINATION makes a FIGHTER.
Just like Fela is, Falz is as well – @Tzadebayo
READ ALSO: Duncan Mighty’s massive comeback
-I accidentally strayed into a tweeterverse comparing #Falz with Fela. I knew #Fela his music shaped my life & continues to influence my thinking. Props to #Falz but please understand that #Fela was not simply a musician he was a phenomenon, a prophet gifted to us by the universe – @tunjilardner
-When we compare falz to fela
courage
guts
contents
risk
creativity
Falz used his voice, risked endorsements, risked blow backs from govt., attacked everyone for nigerians. this is how you use music to address societal issues. idc falz is the fela of our time. – @Raremaester
-While other artistes are too busy “securing the bag”
Falz keeps on showing that it’s not just music, it’s an opportunity to have a voice and he’s not afraid to use it!!
Falz is modern day Fela, accept this fact or feel free to block me. – @Frank_LeanXV
-I’ve been seeing tweets comparing Falz and Fela since morning.
It’s not sad but also disgusting.
Fela is Fela. Falz is Falz.
And no, he’s not the first new generation artiste to address societal ills.
Eedris and Sound Sultan. – @FemiDNL
-Falz is the only artiste that’s following Fela’s foot steps in this Era #Talk
Others just famz FELA and talk about big Bumbum or girls in their songs – @enkemgreg
Falz has done it again.
If you ever had doubts about his creativity, his intelligence and his absolute capacity to use his craft for public good, his new song #Talk completely clears all doubts.
Leave those smoking and making empty noise, he’s the true Fela of this generation.- @DrOlufunmilayi
At the listening party, Falz explained the long process he took in order to sample Fela’s songs.
He said,
“We sampled three songs from Fela on the album, it was a lot deciding whether to do the samples but I wanted the elements of the original Afrobeat.
“That was one of the main reasons I wanted us to sample and it was a lot of ‘wahala’ to clear the samples.
“We had to talk to his estate, talk to different companies in France and another in US that held the right to his Masters.
“I was this close to giving it all up but then I thought again, for what I want to achieve, I had to go ahead with it”, he explained.
Whether you agree that Falz is the new Fela or not, one thing that is not in doubt is the fact that Falz is making waves in the music industry. It is also not in doubt that if he keeps up the pace, he will definitely go far in the music world.
