Former United States President Barack Obama has paid tribute to Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, calling him a musical genius who used his art to drive activism and social change.
Obama made the remark in a video shared on his social media page on Wednesday night while announcing a new 12-episode podcast titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.” The series is produced by Higher Ground, the podcast platform owned by Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama.
“You may have heard our documentary podcast last year about Stevie Wonder called The Wonder of Stevie,” Obama said. “Well, I want to be the first to tell you about the next podcast from Higher Ground that just came out. It’s about the legendary Fela Kuti. 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.”
The podcast traces Fela’s journey from childhood in Abeokuta to his transformative years in Los Angeles, where he embraced Pan-Africanism and developed Afrobeat as a tool for resistance.
In the first episode, “To Hell and Back,” Obama noted that Fela’s music had the power to “move hearts, change minds, and heal the deepest wounds.” He added, “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.”
The podcast features members of Fela’s family, including his children Yeni and Femi Kuti, and his grandson Mádé Kuti. It also includes contributions from global stars such as Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, and Santigold.
According to the producers, “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man” draws from more than 200 interviews with Fela’s family, friends, scholars, and activists to explore how his art shaped global conversations on freedom, identity, and resistance.
