Not many Nigerian rappers can lay a stake to being the biggest artiste in the country at their peaks, while also having a much revered discography. Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana belongs to that elite class.
Falz’s breakout moment was multi-faceted. Indeed Marry Me started gaining traction early 2015, but it also coincided with a period his comedy skits also went viral. The persona he projected in the comedic videos, characterized by the Yoruba twang in his accent, which also translated into his rap was pure genius. When ingenuity and quality music fuse that way, it can only result in resounding success.
For the next couple of years, Falz would remain in the top echelon of Hip-Hop, as one of the biggest frontrunners that defined the sound, pushed the needle and reaped the accolades. Since the turn of the new decade, he’s struggled to find the same level of success and that’s mostly down to the fact that the only album he’s released in said period was underwhelming. The idea behind Bahd, being an ambitious Hip-Hop progressive LP, where pop soundscapes are concerned wasn’t the wrong idea. It however lacked execution.
And now with his sixth studio album, Falz returns back to basics. The Feast is a rap album through and through. It does dip its legs into mainstream waters, but it doesn’t stray the course or deviate from being a predominantly rap album. Will this get Falz back to the top of the rap zeitgeist? It remains to be seen, especially factoring the reception of albums like these in recent times, but it’s an impressive return to form nonetheless.
Right from the onset, Falz reminds us he’s still that guy on album opener, Round Of Applause by flexing his smooth flows that organically weave through multiple topics, ranging from iterating that he’s the biggest man in the room, the sensual curves of his love interest and even subtle political commentary. These three sentiments lumped together should elicit a jarring listen, but he makes it work over a minimalistic piano-indented piano beat.
Majeeed spreads his lush vocals over Old Soja, like butter over bread and enlivens trademark Duktor Sett’s drums. Falz matches the great chorus with a rap verse that’s even more vociferous than the opening song’s with much warranted braggadocio that lines up with the overarching topic. The chest-thumping and self-appraisal continue on Anything Goes, where he declares “revolution dey show for television, no commander fit dead the mission” emphasizing that he’s a freight train that can’t be stopped. ODUMODUBLVCK shines with his best guest verse in a minute and it’s no mystery why, because no one currently brags better about their relevance in NG Hip-Hop better than him currently.
No Less production simulates the feel of a live band, with its kinetic drum rolls and soulful jazz horns. Falz deplores rap flows that are catchy and karaoke-esque, which is tailor made for the groovy beat. Famomi continues the good time in classic R&B territory and Dotti’s hook might be simplistic, but it’s the emotions his vocals convey that makes the feelings resonant. Falz gets quite vulnerable on this song, admitting that his love interest is the most important thing in his life and he doesn’t want to leave her. Overall, it’s an affectionate song that would find more love with the ladies.
Slow Down is cut from the same sonic template of the preceding song and Madi’s vocals are ethereal and stunning as always, but her delivery is a bit too rushed for the pathos of her voice to truly sink in. Falz rises to the occasion nonetheless and he needn’t resort to technical bars or even witty lines, as his dexterous delivery bordering on the lines of being down for his woman do the trick. Jump is tinged with that palm wine magic in the Arabian background vocals and the rhythmic guitar chords. It’s another mainstream leaning record that could penetrate if pushed well with the right strategy.
Wonderfully Made could have been a much better record with more layered production, but the drums here are quite monotonous, and the hook is easily the laziest on the entire LP. The way it is delivered also makes it come off as some Nursery rhyme, instead of the uplifting moment it’s supposed to epitomize. Even on a rap centric project like this, Falz indulges the familiar Amapiano fusion craze on Dance With You and unfortunately he doesn’t bring anything dynamic to this sonic trope. that we haven’t heard a million times already and it doesn’t help that the beat is underwhelming too.
After a doozy run of tracks, the energetic Wayo picks things up again. Falz is back in his self-appraisal antics and although he executed better on the opening tracks, his candor is infectious and far from exerting a saturation effect. Shaybo steals the show, although it’s quite obvious that Falz intentionally leaves the heavylifting for her so she can have her moment in the sun, which she totally justifies with the sort of cadence that rides the beat till its last breath.
Eat heads into Amapiano territory again, but Falz decides to make the song less than a minute, making it an interlude into the final track of the album — the main event. Story Time is a vivid, image-invoking documentary of the highlights of Falz’s career, detailing everything from his come up, his peak and even pit falls. The song doesn’t only function as the stellar narrative song it is, but it provides extra context to the album’s central theme of Falz being “that guy.” It’s in the same vein, Kendrick Lamar’s DUCKWORTH chronicled the inception of his journey to stardom at the end of DAMN, while also further elevating the stakes of the LP.
Underappreciated or not, Falz has had an illustrious career as a rapper. The sort many would wish and strive for, but ultimately fail to glimpse. He can always hold his head up high, as he heads into his veteran OG years and if he has more matured and refined albums like The Feast that deliver on timeless music, then he can rest easy knowing fully well that he isn’t going away anytime soon.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion: 1.5/2
Expansive Production: 1.1/2
Songwriting: 1.5/2
Delivery: 1.5/2
Track Sequencing: 1.4/2
Total: 7.0/10
