Obama Honors Fela Kuti, Calls Him A Musical Genius Who Blended Art With Activism

Former U.S. President Barack Obama has paid glowing tribute to Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a revolutionary artist whose music transcended entertainment to become a vehicle for activism and social change.

In a video shared on his social media page late Wednesday, Obama hailed Fela as “a musical genius from Nigeria,” celebrated for merging funk, jazz, and soul into the globally acclaimed Afrobeat sound.

The former president used the occasion to announce a new podcast titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,” produced under Higher Ground the media company he co-founded with his wife, Michelle Obama. The 12-part series delves into the life, legacy, and political impact of the late Afrobeat pioneer.

“You may have heard our documentary podcast last year about Stevie Wonder called The Wonder of Stevie,” Obama said. “Well, the next one just came out, and 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.”

Now four episodes in, the podcast traces Fela’s political awakening from witnessing his mother’s activism as a young boy to his transformative time in 1969 Los Angeles, where music and politics intertwined to shape his identity as a Pan-Africanist and freedom fighter.

In the opening episode, “To Hell and Back,” Obama appears as one of several prominent interviewees reflecting on Fela’s influence. “Music like Fela’s doesn’t just keep folks moving; it makes them feel alive. Our very best art and very best music touch the soul,” he said.

According to the show’s producers, Fear No Man draws on more than 200 interviews with Fela’s family, close friends, and cultural icons including Burna Boy, Paul McCartney, Questlove, and Santigold to examine how Fela’s artistry continues to inspire global movements for freedom and justice.

The podcast also features insights from members of the Kuti family, including Yeni, Femi, and Mádé Kuti, offering listeners a personal and historical exploration of the man whose music became a rallying cry for resistance and self-determination.