Nigerian rapper and actor Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has revealed that he stepped away from active legal practice because of the growing demands of his music career.
The 35-year-old, who studied law at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2012 after completing his training at the Nigerian Law School, said balancing both professions became increasingly difficult as his popularity grew.
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Speaking on a recent episode of the Behind The Story podcast, Falz said it is possible to combine law and music, but maintaining an active legal career alongside his entertainment commitments proved challenging.
The rapper recalled a courtroom experience that highlighted how his rising fame could interfere with his work as a lawyer.
According to him, after announcing his appearance in court, the presiding judge recognised him and remarked, “Are you not the one doing something on the side?”
Falz explained that while some lawyers already knew him as the son of renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, others were beginning to recognise him because of his music career.
“He said it codedly. At this time, people had started to know me as Femi Falana’s son. Some lawyers in court knew who I was, but others did not,” he said.
The entertainer said the encounter made him realise that his public profile could become a distraction in the courtroom and potentially affect clients’ confidence in his commitment.
“Imagine I am now starting to get more acclaim and I pull up in court, it would be chaos. It would distract everything. A client could say they do not want me, thinking I would be busy with other things. It would have been tough for me. My face is very much out there,” he said.
Falz began gaining prominence in the music industry in 2011 with the release of his debut single, Wahz Up Guy, and has since established himself as one of Nigeria’s leading entertainers.