Former U.S. President, Barack Obama, has paid tribute to late Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, describing him as a one-of-a-kind figure in global music history.
In a video shared on his social media pages on Wednesday night, October 22, Obama celebrated Fela’s brilliance in merging art and activism, calling him a “musical genius” whose influence continues to inspire generations.
Obama encouraged music enthusiasts to listen to a new podcast series titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man”, a 12-episode documentary produced by Higher Ground, the production company he co-founded with his wife, Michelle Obama.
Speaking on the podcast, Obama praised Fela’s originality and boldness in creating Afrobeat — a genre that fused funk, jazz, and soul into a powerful musical movement that became both a global sound and a voice of resistance.
“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,” Obama said. “It’s a beautiful show about a unique figure in musical history who mixed art with activism.”
