RismadarVoice Reporters, August 5, 2026
Nigerian rapper and lawyer, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, says the growing demands of his music career forced him to step back from active legal practice, making it increasingly difficult to balance both professions.
Falz, 35, said although it was possible to pursue law alongside music, his rising profile as an entertainer eventually made maintaining an active courtroom practice impractical.
The rapper disclosed this in a recent episode of the Behind The Story podcast, where he reflected on his transition from legal practice to a full-time career in entertainment.
Falz studied law at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School in Abuja. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2012.
He began making a name for himself in Nigeria’s music industry in 2011 with the release of his debut single, Wahz Up Guy. He has since built a successful career as a rapper, actor and entertainer.
Recounting his experience in court, Falz said an encounter with a judge made him realise that his increasing visibility in the entertainment industry could become a distraction in legal proceedings.
He recalled appearing before the judge and announcing himself, only for the judge to make a subtle reference to his activities outside the courtroom.
Falz said some lawyers at the time already recognised him as the son of prominent lawyer, Femi Falana, while others were unaware of his identity.
According to him, his growing fame would eventually have made his presence in court difficult to manage, particularly as clients could question his ability to give their cases the attention they required.
He said, “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.”
Meanwhile, Falz has since focused primarily on music and entertainment, where he has established himself as one of Nigeria’s prominent contemporary rappers.
