A new podcast hosted by Jad Abumrad will premiere on October 15 on streaming platforms. Titled “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man,” the podcast explores how the legendary Nigerian musician made his art a weapon of political resistance.
The 12-episode series features new interviews with Ayo Edebiri, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Santigold and more plus previously recorded interviews with Paul McCartney, President Barack Obama, Questlove and Burna Boy.
On Wednesday, October 15th, Jad Abumrad will make his highly-anticipated return to podcasting with this premiere of Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.
Presented by Audible and Higher Ground (the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama), produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse, and published weekly across all podcast platforms, the revelatory 12-part series will debut with two episodes in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Lagos, Nigeria’s annual Felabration festival, following last month’s Audible-exclusive release.
Drawing from over 200 interviews with Fela Kuti’s family members, his friends and musicians, as well as historians, activists, and luminaries like Ayo Edebiri, Brian Eno, Burna Boy, David Byrne, Paul McCartney, President Barack Obama, Santigold, Questlove and many more, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man dissects Afrobeat’s body, mind, and soul, as it tells the extraordinary true story of the classically-trained Nigerian musician who created the genre as a revolutionary language of resistance against oppression.
Jad Abumrad is an acclaimed radio host, podcast host, composer, and producer. Under his direction as the creator and former host of Radiolab, the public radio (WNYC) program amassed over 10 million downloads monthly and aired on more than 500 stations worldwide. A 2011 MacArthur Fellow, Abumrad has revolutionised audio storytelling through his innovative use of sound design, deep-dive journalism, and narrative techniques. His previous work includes the Peabody Award-winning Radiolab, More Perfect, Dolly Parton’s America, and The Ring & I. He is currently a Distinguished Research Professor of Communication of Science and Technology at Vanderbilt University.
