Since the release of Childish Gambino’s poignant and controversial single, “This Is America”, we’ve seen quite a number of remakes, parodies, analyses, you name it; everyone is talking about Gambino’s grim yet necessary depiction of race relations in today’s America. While there have been a few poorly-made cover versions that have received less than favorable ratings, Nigerian rapper Falz makes a sharp critique of his country’s social, political, and economic issues in his remake, “This Is Nigeria”.
https://twitter.com/afrobeatstoday/status/1000428037320724481
The video- which was released this past weekend- has since racked up over a million views on Youtube, and has even been reposted by Hip-Hop mogul Diddy on Instagram. Like Gambino’s original version, Falz tackles a wide range of issues affecting his home country. Everything from the codeine epidemic, to electricity blackouts, to Boko Haram and the kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, is addressed in the song lyrics.
This is Nigeria, never end in recession o, when looter and killers and stealers are still contesting election o, Politicians wey thief some billions and billion no dey go prison o Police station dey close by 6, security reason o.
Very depressing to watch as it paints an accurate picture of the current state of affairs in Nigeria. Definitely a wake up call to do better!
— Mark Kido (@Mark_Kido) May 28, 2018
he addressed the issue even more than the president Nigerian in a single track…falz deserves an accolade.
— wales_coker (@Coker_Adewale) May 28, 2018
Africa needs a lot of these.
— Elie (@CozyElie) May 28, 2018
Although he is mostly known for his comedic lyrics rapped alongside hip hop beats, it’s not surprising to see why Falz is interested in social justice issues; his father is Femi Falana, a well-known human rights lawyer and activist.
“The primary motivation was to trigger an awakening among the Nigerian people about the numerous political and social ills that we constantly face as a country. And more importantly to spark a reaction in the positive direction,” He told CNN in an interview this week.
If his main goal was to spark a reaction, he certainly did well in that aspect. “This Is Nigeria” is still buzzing on social media, and it’s clear that there are many other Nigerians who deeply resonate with Falz and his critique of the country’s faults.
