Nigerian rapper Falz recalls judge’s coded comment on his dual law and music careers

Nigerian rapper and lawyer Folarin Falana, known as Falz, recounted an early‑career courtroom encounter in which a judge subtly questioned his involvement in another profession. Falz explained that, while working at his father Femi Falana’s law firm, he was also building his music career, despite Nigerian regulations that discourage lawyers from holding a second job.

During a hearing he introduced himself as counsel for the plaintiff, after which the judge asked in a coded way, “Council, are you not the one doing something else on the side?” Falz confirmed the reference, and the hearing continued. He practiced law for about two years after being called to the Nigerian Bar in 2012, including a stint at the Ministry of Justice during his National Youth Service Corps, before leaving the profession to focus on music full‑time. Falz studied law at the University of Reading and the Nigerian Law School, launched his music career in 2009, and has become one of Nigeria’s leading rappers and actors.