
Fela Kuti: Fear No Man
Claim This Podcastby Higher Ground
Podcast Overview
<p>In a world that’s on fire, what is the role of art? What can music actually…do?</p><p>Can a song save a life? Change a law? Topple a president? Get you killed?</p><p>In Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, Jad Abumrad—creator of Radiolab, More Perfect, and Dolly Parton's America—tells the story of one of the great political awakenings in music: how a classically trained 'colonial boy' traveled to America, in search of Africa, only to return to Nigeria and transform his sound into a battering ram against the state—creating a new musical language of resistance called Afrobeat.</p><p>For years, the world’s biggest stars made pilgrimages to Nigeria to experience Fela’s Shrine, the epicenter of his musical revolution. But when the mix of art and activism got too hot, the state pulled out its guns, and literally opened fire.</p><p>Fela Kuti: Fear No Man is an uncategorizable mix of oral history, musicology, deep dive journalism, and cutting edge sound design that takes listeners deep inside Fela’s life, music, and legacy.</p><p>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 (just to name a few), 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.</p><p><br></p><p>An Audible Original presented by Audible and Higher Ground. Produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse.</p><p>©2025 Higher Ground, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/7/2025
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Recent Episodes

January 30, 2026
13: African Counterpoint
On the occasion of Fela's Lifetime Achievement Grammy, Jad is back to put his musical legacy in a very different context, with the help of Michael Veal, David Byrne and Brian Eno. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

December 17, 2025
12: Bloodline Covers
Is Fela’s music actually a weapon of the future? What does his legacy tell us about the real power of art and the artist? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

December 10, 2025
11: Endless Returns
Thirty years after Fela’s death, Nigeria erupts — and Fela is again at the center of it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
14 total episodes available with 7 transcripts
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- What is Fela Kuti: Fear No Man?
<p>In a world that’s on fire, what is the role of art? What can music actually…do?</p><p>Can a song save a life? Change a law? Topple a president? Get you killed?</p><p>In Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, Jad Abumrad—creator of Radiolab, More Perfect, and Dolly Parton's America—tells the story of one of the great political awakenings in music: how a classically trained 'colonial boy' traveled to America, in search of Africa, only to return to Nigeria and transform his sound into a battering ram against the state—creating a new musical language of resistance called Afrobeat.</p><p>For years, the world’s biggest stars made pilgrimages to Nigeria to experience Fela’s Shrine, the epicenter of his musical revolution. But when the mix of art and activism got too hot, the state pulled out its guns, and literally opened fire.</p><p>Fela Kuti: Fear No Man is an uncategorizable mix of oral history, musicology, deep dive journalism, and cutting edge sound design that takes listeners deep inside Fela’s life, music, and legacy.</p><p>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 (just to name a few), 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.</p><p><br></p><p>An Audible Original presented by Audible and Higher Ground. Produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse.</p><p>©2025 Higher Ground, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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