Trickster Makes the World (Episode 5, Audio Only) | Fela Kuti: Fear No Man
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About this episode
Before he became the fearless prophet of Afrobeat, Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a London-trained jazz musician trying to find his sound — and himself. In this episode, host Jad Abumrad traces Fela’s transformation from a polite highlife bandleader into a revolutionary artist whose music would shake Nigeria and the world.
We follow Fela from Trinity College of Music in London, where he learned classical piano under colonial influence, to Los Angeles in 1969, where he met Sandra Isidore — the radical singer and activist who opened his eyes to Black consciousness, Malcolm X, and the global fight against oppression. Through Sandra’s mentorship and their electric connection, Fela’s worldview — and his music — exploded into something new: Afrobeat.
Featuring rare archival interviews, music from Fela’s early bands Koola Lobitos and Nigeria 70, and stories from those who knew him best, this episode captures the moment when rebellion, rhythm, and revelation collided — and a legend was born.
About Fela Kuti: Fear No Man:
From Higher Ground Audio and Audible Originals comes an epic new documentary podcast from Jad Abumrad, creator of Radiolab and Dolly Parton’s America.
In a world on fire, what can art do? Fela Kuti: Fear No Man explores the life, music, and radical spirit of the Nigerian icon who invented Afrobeat — a sound that fused funk, jazz, and resistance into one of the most explosive musical movements of the 20th century.
Through vivid storytelling, original interviews, and rich archival sound, Jad Abumrad traces how Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s music became both a cultural revolution and a spiritual weapon. Featuring insights from Fela’s friends, family, and collaborators — and voices like Questlove, Ayo Edebiri, and even President Obama — this series asks: can music truly change the world?
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- Posted by
- Higher Ground Productions, the YouTube channel of HIGHER GROUND PRODUCTIONS, on 2025-10-29
- Rights holder
- HIGHER GROUND PRODUCTIONS, whose own site links this channel (checked 2026-10-31)
- Length
- 40 min
- Where it plays
- Wherever YouTube plays: its rights holder sets no limit
- Made for kids
- No, as YouTube designates it
- Language
- English, as YouTube records it
- What it is
- A full episode, as its rights holder calls it
- Who can watch here
- Adult profiles and older: no rating is recorded on YouTube, so adults only. How these videos are chosen
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