Falz first gained widespread attention in the music industry in 2011 after releasing his debut single, ‘Wahz Up Guy’.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigerian rapper, songwriter and actor Folarin Falana, better known as Falz, has explained why he decided to quit legal practice for entertainment.
Speaking during a recent episode of the Behind The Story podcast, the ‘Soft Work’ crooner cited the growing demands of his music career as the reason for his decision.
Falz was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2012 after studying law at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and subsequently attending the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.
However, while justifying his decision to go into full-time music, the artist said balancing law and entertainment became increasingly challenging as his fame grew.
The actor noted that while combining both professions was initially possible, sustaining an active legal career alongside a successful music career proved difficult.
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He recalled a courtroom experience that highlighted the challenges of practising law while becoming a public figure. According to him, a judge once recognised him for his activities outside the legal profession during a court appearance.
“There was a day in court when I announced my appearance, and the judge asked, ‘Are you not the one doing something on the side?’” Falz recounted.
He further noted that at the time some lawyers already knew him as the son of renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, while others were beginning to recognise him through his growing presence in the entertainment industry.
Falz said the incident made him realise that his increasing popularity could become a distraction in legal proceedings and potentially affect clients’ confidence in his ability to focus on their cases.
“Imagine becoming even more famous and showing up in court. It could create distractions and make some clients feel I would be too occupied with music and other engagements. It would have been difficult because my face is already out there,” he said.
