Obama Honours Legendary Fela Kuti In New Podcast ‘Fear No Man’

Former United States President, Barack Obama, has honoured precocious Nigerian Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him arsenic a “musical genius” who fused creation with activism to make a almighty planetary movement.

Obama made the remarks successful a video posted connected his societal media accounts connected Wednesday night, wherever helium announced the motorboat of a caller 12-episode podcast titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.”

The series, produced nether Higher Ground, the media institution founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, celebrates the life, music, and governmental power of the precocious Afrobeat pioneer.

“You whitethorn person heard our documentary podcast past twelvemonth astir Stevie Wonder called The Wonder of Stevie,” Obama said. “Well, I privation to beryllium the archetypal to archer you astir the adjacent podcast from Higher Ground that conscionable came out. It’s astir the legendary Fela Kuti.

“He is simply a philharmonic genius from Nigeria who made immoderate euphony that I truly love, combining funk, jazz, and psyche into a full caller genre called Afrobeat. It’s a beauteous amusement astir a unsocial fig successful philharmonic past who mixed creation with activism,” helium added.

Currently successful its 4th episode, the bid traces Fela’s revolutionary journey, opening with his puerility and his mother’s power done his transformative years successful 1969 Los Angeles, wherever euphony and authorities reshaped him into a Pan-Africanist state fighter.

In the opening episode, “To Hell and Back,” Obama himself is featured among the interviewees, reflecting connected Fela’s lasting impact. “Music similar Fela’s is capable to not conscionable support folks moving but besides makes them consciousness alive. Our precise champion creation and precise champion euphony interaction the soul,” helium said.

According to the producers, ‘Fear No Man’ drew from implicit 200 interviews featuring Fela’s family, friends, and planetary icons specified arsenic Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Santigold, and Obama himself. Members of the Kuti household including Yeni, Femi, and Mádé Kuti were besides featured.

Described arsenic a heavy dive into the psyche of Afrobeat, the podcast explores Fela’s artistry, activism, and the enduring powerfulness of euphony to situation injustice and animate alteration amid today’s global unrest.