Nigerian rapper Falz has shared how his upbringing influenced his approach to activism. The artist, known for leading the #ENDSARS protest in Lagos in 2020, revealed that his activism began long before that year.
In an interview, Falz credited his activist spirit to the influences of Fela Kuti and his father, Femi Falana.
“Apart from Fela records, my dad has been an activist for over 40 years, so having someone like that as a father, everywhere I went, someone had a story about what my father did for them. So that level of selflessness played a part in who I became," he said.
Falz explained that this constant exposure to activism shaped his consciousness and inspired his music.
“I have always been conscious. So it’s not like I woke up one day. 2020 was a time when so much was happening that we needed to take further steps from just talking and walking the walk. Of course, I was going to be in front because I had been talking the talk anyway,” he added.