Fela Kuti: Fear No Man

Episodes

• 13: African Counterpoint 30.01.2026 39m

  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, Randall Woolf, David Byrne and Brian Eno. Thanks to LSO Live on behalf of the London Symphony Orchestra   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 12: Bloodline Covers 17.12.2025 41m

  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.
• 11: Endless Returns 10.12.2025 48m

  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.
• 10: Death in His Pouch 03.12.2025 44m

  Fela told his followers that he could never die. So what happens when the unthinkable finally happens? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 9: Things Will Collide 19.11.2025 42m

  After "Zombie," the military can no longer abide by Fela and his followers. A global celebration of Nigeria’s Pan-African ambitions turns into a brutal raid, torture and death, with thousands of people watching. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 8: Zombie 12.11.2025 23m

  In January, 1976, Fela drops his most fiery, confrontational song – “Zombie” is a blistering attack on the army, soldiers, and everyone who “just follows orders” to protect those in power. The song inspires ordinary Nigerians to stand up against tyranny wherever they see it — from traffic cops on the beat to the powerful general / head-of-state. And the response from the government — and its army — is almost immediate. Plus, an unreleased cover of “Zombie” from Santigold. (00:06) Zombie See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 7: Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense 12.11.2025 41m

  As Fela’s campaign against the state begins to take form, three young lieutenants rise up to lead his political charge. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 6: The Queens 05.11.2025 46m

  According to some, the key to Afrobeat was its women. And one of the keys to understanding this “very complicated” man is how Fela both liberated and oppressed the women closest to him, depending on who you ask.  Audio clip of Ayo Edebiri courtesy of Sundance Institute. Used by Permission. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 5: Trickster Makes the World 29.10.2025 39m

  Fela was known almost as much for his hijinx as he was for his music. He took aim at the powers-that-be and, over and over, paid for it in blood. And yet, every provocation served as creative inspiration.  Audio clip of Konkombe courtesy Harcourt Films Ltd. Lijadu Sisters appear courtesy of Secretly Publishing and Numero Group. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 4: Vengeance of the Vagina Head 22.10.2025 54m

  Origin story part 2. The “ideological genealogy” of Fela’s revolution actually extends back farther than 1969. Fela’s began twenty years earlier, when he was an 8 year old boy watching his mom make history. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 3: Enter the Shrine 22.10.2025 28m

  Fela’s club, The Shrine, was an oasis of freedom amidst a brutal dictatorship. Once inside – and on the dancefloor – the music intoxicated, enraptured and, ultimately, inspired resistance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 2: Becoming Fela 15.10.2025 56m

  Every superhero – and superstar – has an origin story. For Fela, it happened in 1969 Los Angeles, where a potent mix of music and politics turned a “missionary boy” into a Pan-Africanist freedom fighter and ignited a musical firestorm. Voice of America audio clips courtesy of voanews.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 1: To Hell and Back 15.10.2025 38m

  Fela’s music had the power to move hearts, change minds, and in the case of one man, heal the deepest wounds.  Audio clip of Ayo Edebiri courtesy of Sundance Institute. Used by Permission. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• Introducing Fela Kuti: Fear No Man 07.10.2025 1m

  Follow Fela Kuti: Fear No Man on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.