Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, has paid glowing tribute to late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a “unique figure in musical history” whose music fused art and activism and continues to resonate globally.
Obama, in a video posted on his social media platforms on Wednesday, October 22, night, urged music lovers to tune in to a new podcast dedicated to Fela’s life and influence.
The series, titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,” is a 12-episode documentary podcast released by Higher Ground, the production company he runs with his wife, Michelle Obama.
In the podcast, Obama praised Fela’s originality in creating Afrobeat by blending funk, jazz, and soul into a genre that became a global sound and a rallying point for resistance against oppression.
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“He is a musical genius from Nigeria who made some music that I really love, combining funk, jazz, and soul into a whole new genre called Afrobeat. It’s a beautiful show about a unique figure in musical history who mixed art with activism,” Obama said.
The former US president explained that the podcast, like Higher Ground’s earlier series on Stevie Wonder, was an effort to document and celebrate artists whose music transcends entertainment.
The podcast goes beyond music to examine Fela’s genealogy of resistance. By episode four, it recounts how as an 8-year-old boy, Fela witnessed his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, take part in historic protests that shaped his worldview.
Naija News reports that the podcast also highlights Fela’s transformative stay in Los Angeles in 1969, where exposure to the Black Power movement fused with his art to turn him from what the podcast calls a “missionary boy” into a Pan-Africanist activist and musical revolutionary.
In its debut episode, “To Hell and Back,” Obama himself was among the interviewees who underlined Fela’s ability to use music as both a source of joy and a weapon of change.
“Music like Fela’s is able to not just keep folks moving but also makes them feel alive. Our very best art and very best music touch the soul,” Obama said.
Producers of Fear No Man revealed that the podcast draws on over 200 interviews, including conversations with Fela’s family, close friends, scholars, and global artists.
Among those featured are Yeni Kuti, Femi Kuti, and Mádé Kuti, who share personal reflections on Fela’s family life and philosophy. Global stars and cultural icons such as Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, and Santigold also contribute, underscoring Fela’s international reach.
The podcast, they said, is designed not just as a biography but as an exploration of how art can challenge power structures.
“Fela Kuti: Fear No Man journeys deep into the soul of Afrobeat to explore the transformative power of art and the role artists can play in this current moment of global unrest,” the producers explained.
Naija News understands that this is not the first time Obama has highlighted African and diasporic artists.
His annual summer playlists often feature Afrobeat and Afropop musicians, from Fela to contemporary stars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tems, showcasing the global appeal of Nigerian music.
With Fear No Man, Obama once again connects his admiration for Fela with a broader recognition of music’s ability to “move hearts, change minds, and heal wounds.”
More than 25 years after his death, Fela remains one of Africa’s most iconic musicians, remembered for his electrifying stage performances, unapologetic criticism of military regimes, and creation of Afrobeat as both a sound and a political movement.
By dedicating a full-length global podcast series to his life, Higher Ground and Obama have amplified his legacy to a new generation, positioning Fela not just as a Nigerian icon but as a world figure whose art and activism remain relevant in times of global turmoil.
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