In late 2018, there was an articles published by cillacritic.com on why Nigerian MCs have not made a global hit in recent years. In that article, the lack of real story telling and shying away from the truth of the ill in the Nigerian Society when making music was one of the key points discussed. Although Falz was not part of the musician that was criticized negatively in that article; he however has always been the one Nigerian Rapper who has always cashed into the opportunity of the events of the society ill. In this Moral Instruction Album Review, we will thrive to see how Falz taps into the societal ill in making his music.
Nigeria is at the moment plagued with the lots of societal imbalance because of the increased level of corruption and poverty. In 2018, Nigeria was classified as headquarter of poverty and that has influenced the action of the populaces. They have been thrown into social vices such as Political and Religious corruption, Armed Robbery, kidnaping, fraud and Voodoo wealth rituals. These vices used to be stories that happen once in a blue moon but in recent times, these vices have started occurring on daily basis because of the high level of poverty and bad governance.
With Afrobeats and Afropop gaining more recognition around the world; many have likened Wizkid to Fela because of the sound of most of his songs. However, Wizkid lacked the moral lessons which was the first identity of Fela’s Music. Wizkid is a Lady’s man- making love music which is not the direction which Fela drove. But listening to this album; it can be argued that Folarin Falana aka Falz tha Badt guy has crossed all the boxes on who represents the new Fela. Falz is one of Nigerian’s music makers who has in recent years made up his mind to make music using the societal stories of Nigeria to make good music. In this album titled “Moral Instruction”; he goes after the government, Church leaders and youths who are involved in one form of corrupt practice or the other.
Paper
In the song “paper”; he goes after the youths who do anything to make money- from fetish ritual, internet fraud to drug trafficking. He explains that because they want to live large and buy the trending car (Benz). He goes after politicians who throw away morals, steal government funds and buy votes. He goes after parents who give their daughter’s hand in marriage based on the financial gains they are going to get from the marriage. He also discusses contractors who lobby for work from the government and tweak figures just to steal from the government.
Amen
Amen has him sample Fela’s song “Amen” with Hiphop kicks, snare, hats and cymbals. He samples some part of Fela’s vocals with some vocals of church issues in Nigeria. Falz in this music goes ballistic on Nigerian pastors and their excesses when it comes to offerings and tithes. He talks about the brain washing tactics used by pastors in Nigerians to make their selves rich. He talks about them claiming that your giving is directly proportional to the blessings you get from God. He talks about churches raising funds and creating business in their names that their church members cannot afford. He declares that he does not understand that to be religion.
Brother’s Keeper
In “Brother’s keeper” which he features Sess; Falz talks about one of the core values of the society which is lacking in Nigeria. He talks about people not being their brother’s Keeper. He is of the opinion that the societal ill in Nigeria is because people are not their brother’s keeper. He claims that if people where their brother’s keeper; then vices such as bad government, sex slavery, sales of fake drugs, Traffic blockage and Doctor’s demand of police report when a gunshot victim is brought to the hospitals won’t be there.
E nor Finish & Talk
Copying Fela’s song again; Falz throw some real jabs at the incumbent government in Nigeria- calling them Animals in clothes. He alleges that the leaders are corrupt and undisciplined. He claims that the bad government has resulted to bad life in Nigeria with poverty taking a new hike. He calls them political rubbers and looters. He discusses how Nigerians cannot find jobs because of the nepotism in Nigeria. He claims Nigeria leaders are not conscious of what is going on in the system leaving Nigerians to suffer.
“Talk” has Falz go into a go over some of the funny ills in the nation-from parliamentary senators fighting, Lack of salary payment and fake promises from politicians. He also takes a swipe at Nigerian president who travels in and out of Nigeria on health tourism, leaving the Nation to run itself. He also talks about the small minimum wage in Nigeria and how it affects the populaces.
Follow Follow
Fela in his life time made a song titled “Zombie” which is a song which mocked the Nigerian army which was in power in the 90s. Nigeria has left that era and Falz in his musical wisdom has discovered new “Zombies”. In the song “follow follow”; he explains that young boys and girls who envy and want to live the classy life of others even when they can’t afford the life are zombies. With the evolution of the social media, the Nigerian youth circle have over past three years become flooded with fake people who want to live large or at least fake it when they know very well they can’t avoid it. Falz looks at them and classify these set of youths as zombies.
Hypocrite
Hypocrites has Falz make some kind of remix of 2baba’s song of “No body holy”. He alleges that everybody is a hypocrite because of the problems he has seen in the street. He claims that many people who claim to be sane are insane but only cover it from the public eye. The chorus of this song which is done by Dimmie Vee explains that everybody has an element of bad in them. They use this song to tell everybody to accept the truth that everybody all have an element of ill in their life.
Jonny
In this song Falz cast his lens on the killing that has been taken to another level in Nigeria. He talks about the killing in the Northern and Southern part of Nigeria. He explains that the killings in this two parts of Nigeria are carried out and blamed on mistakes, Cattle and Religion. He talks about police brutality, Religious killings and herdsmen killing. He tells stories that the Nigerian people have gotten accustomed to due to these deaths.
Possible Hits and Flops
Moral songs can never go wrong because of the message it has to offer. It will always have a love in the heart of many.
