Former US President Barack Obama has paid tribute to iconic Afrobeat artist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a unique character in musical history who combined art and activism.
He referred to Fela as “a musical genius from Nigeria” who combined funk, jazz, and soul to create Afrobeat, which became known around the world.
Obama said this in a video broadcast to his social media account on Wednesday night, in which he encouraged followers to listen to a podcast series about Fela.
The 12-episode podcast, titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,” honors the late Afrobeat pioneer’s life and legacy on Higher Ground, a podcast 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. I want to be the first to tell you about Higher Ground’s new podcast. 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,” Obama said.
Currently at episode four, the podcast follows the ancestry of Fela’s revolution, “when he was an 8-year-old boy watching his mom make history.”
It also examines the icon’s life in 1969 Los Angeles, where a powerful combination of music and politics transformed a “missionary boy” into a Pan-Africanist liberation warrior, sparking a musical inferno.
In episode one, titled “To Hell and Back,” the former US president is among the interviewees who praise Fela’s music for its ability to move hearts, change minds, and heal the deepest wounds.
“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.
According to the producer, Fear No Man will feature not just artists but also, as predicted, members of the Kuti family, including Fela’s children Yeni Kuti and Femi Kuti, as well as his grandson Mádé Kuti, Femi’s son.
“Drawing from over 200 interviews with Fela Kuti’s family, friends, as well as scholars, activists, and luminaries like Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Santigold, and former President Barack Obama, 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 producer said on the podcast description.
