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| Do Nigerians really rate Falz as a rapper? |
In 2017, Falz jumped on the remix of Pepenazi's 'I Ain't Got No Time' also featuring Reminisce. His verse was so impressive that I simply skip to that verse anytime I play the song.
Just like his 2019 run on features, that verse was overlooked. A few people might have noticed, but people are not talking about it. This is like the earliest parts of J.Cole's 2018 run on rap features.
In 2019 alone, there have been five features that Falz has absolutely killed with ease of menacing lyricism.
The five features are, 'Mind Your Bizness' by Simi, 'Feel Good' by Ice Prince also featuring Phyno, 'Daz How Star Do' by Skiibi also featuring Teni, 'Proud Fvck Boys Remix (Naija Version)' by Tulenkey also featuring Ice Prince and 'Alakori' by Dice Ailes.
The good part; like any rap Falz has done, they were effortless and they retained the humour, crisp deliveries, technique, impeccable cadences and sharp flows laced with humour and bars.
To each of those verses, there's either substance or linear stories. On 'Feel Good,' Falz managed to sneak a criticism of the showboating tendencies of young Nigerian men at clubs and bars into a verse that overdoses on great technique and cadences.
On 'Daz How Star Do,' 'Alakori' and 'Mind Your Bizness,' Falz delivers verses that stay true to the central narrative, not run away into a sunset of 'bar' obsession.
Falz didn't just jump from 2017 with a Pepenazi feature to the brilliance he now embodies either. His collaborative effort with Simi, Chemistry is filled with dope verses and so are his albums. In 2018, he killed verses for Yemi Alade and Ric Hassani.
The sad part; what makes Falz great on these songs is also why he gets overlooked. It's not anybody's fault either.
Why does this happen?
Falz's gimmick that makes his brilliance at rap unnoticed by the average Nigerian is also why the average Nigerian idolizes him as an artist.
I know. You're probably asking how it is possible for people to rate someone as an artist, but not as a rapper. Trust me, it's possible and Falz is Specimen A.
Earlier in the year, Falz released his polarizing, politically charged and critically-acclaimed fifth studio album, Moral Instruction. A lot of Nigerian music lovers will call it the best Nigerian album of 2019, and they will have a point - they love Falz the artist.
His memorable gimmicks sell his music and propelled him to the realm of stardom, but they are also why Nigerians don't celebrate him enough as a rapper. Falz is a rapper different to everything a 'Hip-Hop head' will call 'rapper.'
He is what you will call avant-garde with the rap. His style in itself is humourous. His pronounciation of words are deliberately 'Nigerianized.' Yet, he drops the poetry ad everything you will endorse in a rapper, just in a different way. This style also makes people feel Falz lack what 'Hip-Hop heads' call 'bars.'
This style is why he is loved, it's why people want to listen to him. He is not an underrated artist or creative, but he seems to somehow go missing when average Nigerians usually try to rank rappers.
The reason is simple; there's an effortlessness to his rap and this shows in his laidback approach to rap and it' unorthodox.
Nonetheless, It's not a sad situation - he man is getting paid. The fans that don't necessarily see him as a 'rapper's rapper' love him, and he seems not to care much for those ratings - at least on the face of it. Yet, I wager one thing; he's as competitive about Hip-Hop as any rapper.
For this, Falz shares similarities with Young Thug
Falz is the Nigerian rapper loved by many for his ability to make touching music either with humour or empathy. Young Thug is the eccentric American rapper known for his memorable, melodious sounds, sharp flows and adlibs.
Falz incorporates humour with 'Nigerianized' pronounciation of words to deliver bars while he embodies satirical characters in his music. Young Thug has a heavy Atlanta accent that somehow makes his words inaudible and seem mumbled along, even when he tells great stories on an album like Beautiful Thugger Girls.
While Falz is more well-rounded as a creative than Thugger, they are bound together by the career similarities; what sells them as artists is also why they get overlooked as rappers capable of delivering hot verses especially on features. They're both unorthodox to the standard in their respective fields.
Their respective unorthodox styles is also why they both have strong fanbases.
For Falz, his ability to simplify rap with humour, politics or empathy while still delivery bars or stories is why he's one of Nigeria's biggest stars. It is also why people don't realize his impeccable technique, beautiful cadences and sharp flows when he delivers his words especially on features.
For Thugger, his ability to create melodies and deliver sung-rap brilliance is why he has a loyal fanbase, but it's also why most people don't realize how vicious he is on verses and features.
While neither is on Eminem or Kendrick Lamar level of 'kill you on your own song' just yet, they do well in their lane. Yet, they get overlooked.
The difference within the similarity they share is that the average Hip-Hop head will say Falz lacks the bite the great rappers have while Young Thug, for his part is vicious with the trap.
However, I need to say that Falz has that bite, his style is just different.
Falz's definition of 'bars' is different
The average Hip-Hop lover has set definition of 'bars' and it's determined by specially woven metaphors, puns and similes. Falz doesn't do that, his rap is based on his killer flows, technique and cadences.
He also has bars, but they are just good lines like, "You go dey wonder who dey do birthday, who dey celebrate what when we start to pop."
'Pop' there is a pun for popping champagne or shining as a person.
Does Falz then need to drop a 'true' rap album to get rated?
The simple answer is no. He hacked it and he's doing great. If he, however, wants to do it, we'll be ready.
In This Story: #Nigerians #rate #Falz #rapper
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