Abstract

The study conducts a Socio-Pragmatic analysis of satirical commentary and social identity construction in Falz’s music, Round of Applause. It purposively samples five lyrical excerpts from the song as its data. Employing an eclectic blend of Dell Hymes’ Ethnography of Communication theory and Jacob Mey’s Pragmatic Acts theory, the study examines how the song’s verbal choices perform specific pragmatic functions while also reflecting and shaping socio-cultural identities in Nigeria through satirical commentary. The findings suggest that, through code switching between English, Pidgin, and Yoruba, and the use of various pragmatically identified speech acts, the artist presents satire as a pragmatic act of resistance—mocking, mimicking, and momentarily unsettling the performances of power, neo-colonial concessions, masculinity, and capitalist success—while criticising or affirming national and youth identity.