Former U.S. President Barack Obama has honored the legendary Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti in a powerful new podcast series that dives deep into the musician’s life, art, and activism.
Obama announced the release of the series, titled Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, in a heartfelt video shared on his social media pages on Wednesday night.
Produced by Higher Ground, the media company he co-founded with Michelle Obama, the 12-part series explores Fela’s fearless music, political defiance, and the global influence of his art.
The first two episodes — To Hell and Back and Becoming Fela — premiered on October 15, coinciding with Felabration, the worldwide annual festival honoring Fela’s legacy.
Hosted by Jad Abumrad, the podcast weaves together rare archival recordings and intimate interviews with global music icons like Paul McCartney, Questlove, Santigold, Burna Boy, David Byrne, and Ayo Edebiri. Members of the Kuti family — Yeni, Femi, and Mádé — also share deeply personal stories about Fela’s life, music, and message.
In his announcement, Obama described Fela as “a musical genius from Nigeria who blended funk, jazz, and soul into the vibrant Afrobeat sound.” He praised the show as “a beautiful story about an artist who used his music to challenge power and uplift people.”
Obama reflected on how Fela’s art symbolized courage and freedom, saying, “Music like Fela’s gets people moving, makes them feel alive, and stirs the soul.”
The series traces Fela’s journey from a young man inspired by his mother’s activism to a fearless voice for justice who became a symbol of resistance across Africa.
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One of the key episodes revisits his time in 1969 Los Angeles, where his encounter with the Black consciousness movement reshaped his worldview and fueled his Pan-African vision.
Drawing from over 200 interviews with family, friends, scholars, and fellow artists, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man captures the essence of Afrobeat — bold, rhythmic, and revolutionary — and celebrates the lasting power of Fela’s voice in today’s world.
