Fela Kuti: Fear No Man

De: Jad Abumrad

Narrado por: Jad Abumrad

In a world that’s on fire, what is the role of art? What can music actually…do?

Can a song save a life? Change a law? Topple a president? Get you killed?

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.

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.

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.

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.

An Audible Original presented by Audible and Higher Ground. Produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse

©2025 Higher Ground, LLC (P)2025 Audible Originals, LLC.

Interviews

Optional video would have been appropriate. This is an excellent production. Higher Ground production is amazing

Outstanding

Well done. I learned so much about Fela. What an amazing history lesson and sociological perspective on the impact of Fela.

Beat thing since dolly p’s America

If you're a music enthusiast of any kind, this is for you—a heartfelt, funny, and humble recount of perhaps one of history’s most treasured talents. I trained for a half-marathon listening to this and can't wait to share and play it again. It’s rich in culture and captures the social struggles we continue to face. Let this be a reminder not of what we have lost, but of what we have yet to gain—if only we view anew what music can do, its power and influence, and how artists at their finest are still flawed. And how we all have a responsibility to our musical history.

Music History

Power story of how music shapes our lives.
Loved learning about the journey of this “new to me” musician and activist.

Impact

His past and its impact on him, his present and its impact/influence on others, and his direct/indirect impact on future generations

Incredible research; engaging; real

Everyone should listen. The historical and personal context are insightful; the analysis of Fela’s music, life, and inspirations are incredible.

Simply Fantastic

I really appreciated the history and context. I love Fela’s music and now I understand him even more.

Fela’s legacy

Loved learning more about Fela’s life and his legacy.
Enjoyed the interviews with his children and finally giving a voice to the wives. Enjoyed learning about his mother’s legacy in Abeokuta. Hated the way Fela and his band and family were maltreated by the Nigerian government but glad this podcast featured these stories and didn’t hesitate to air the truth!

Amazing blend of music, politics, culture, social change and human conplexity

All the goodness of jad’s other work and so much more. Just an incredible journey across time, tunes, family and country.

A thorough retelling of Fela’s story

A very thorough and comprehensive retelling of the story of Fela Kuti with care to recognize the people who were key and witnesses to Fela’s ascendancy. So much historical context helps the listener get a better understanding of the cultural force that is Fela Kuti.