Higher Ground's Acclaimed Podcast Fela Kuti: Fear No Man Releases Midseason Highlight

Listen To "Zombie" Here

Episode Features New Cover of "Zombie" by Santigold, As Host Jad Abumrad Explores How Fela Kuti's Art Became a Weapon of Political Resistance

LOS ANGELES, CA – November 12, 2025 - Higher Ground, the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, celebrates today's release of "Zombie," the eighth episode and midway point of Fela Kuti: Fear No Man. Hosted by Jad Abumrad (Radiolab, Dolly Parton's America) and hailed as one of the best podcasts of the year, the 12-part series explores the extraordinary true story of Fela Kuti, the classically-trained Nigerian musician who created Afrobeat as a revolutionary language of resistance.

As Fela Kuti's most fiery and confrontational song, the release of "Zombie" in January 1976 delivered a blistering attack on the army, police and everyone who "just follows orders" to protect those in power. The anthem inspired ordinary Nigerians to stand up against tyranny wherever they saw it — from traffic cops on the beat to the powerful general and head-of-state. The response from the government, and its army, was almost immediate.

Discover more of the story, accompanied by Santigold's new cover of "Zombie": HERE

To commemorate Fela Kuti: Fear No Man and the release of "Zombie," Santigold hosted a special event at Los Angeles' Linden this past Monday, November 10th. Organized as a celebration of both the series and the life and work of Fela Kuti, the dinner featured notable attendees such as Fela Kuti's daughter Yeni Kuti, as well as Jad Abumrad, Yvonne Orji, Lionel Boyce, Jeymes Samuel, Melody Ehsani and more. See photos from the event HERE, taken by Philey Sanneh.

Described by President Barack Obama as "a beautiful show about a unique figure in musical history who mixed art with activism," Fela Kuti: Fear No Man presents "a fascinating, passionate biography" (The Guardian), packed with "immersive and imaginative sound design" (Financial Times). As it tells the story of one of music's great political awakenings, it also asks some of the most pressing and prescient questions of the moment: 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?

Drawing from new interviews with Ayo Edebiri, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Santigold and more, plus previously recorded interviews with Burna Boy, Questlove, Paul McCartney, and President Barack Obama, the series 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.

Presented by Audible and Higher Ground, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man is produced by Western Sound and Talkhouse. Learn more in Jad Abumrad's recent interviews on CNN's Amanpour, NPR's Morning Edition, WNYC's All Of It and more. 

Praise For Fela Kuti: Fear No Man

"It's hard not to be wowed by the cast list of people paying homage to one of the greatest African musicians ever in this series about his impact. Ayo Edebiri, Barack Obama, Paul McCartney, Jay-Z, Flea…Until you're wrongfooted by a gripping narrative about his rhythm pianist’s father being murdered for his beliefs – and how Kuti bravely championed his family. It's a fascinating, passionate biography"

The Guardian

"Jad Abumrad's series on Fela Kuti is one to sink into…an in-depth work about a complicated musical great. Twelve episodes might seem a lot, but each one is a treat"

The Observer

"It feels fitting that this series about a musical pioneer should come with such immersive and imaginative sound design. It's a measure of the rich storytelling, the wonderful music and the wild anecdotes that run through Fear No Man that, even after 12 episodes, I didn’t want it to end"

Financial Times 

"Thoroughly researched, an expansive effort that walks through the nuances that made Kuti who he became, the encounter that radicalized him, his passion for afrocentric intellect, his complex relationship with women, and as a father"

OkayAfrica

"One can glean a little bit of Fela Kuti's life from numbers: 27 wives, all of whom he married during the same ceremony, at the same time; 100 arrests; 46 studio albums…This podcast retraces the life, music, and rebellion of one of Africa's most important artists"

Air Mail 

ABOUT HIGHER GROUND

Higher Ground was founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. From scripted and unscripted television, feature films, and animated series to podcasts and digital series, the company tells widely acclaimed stories across all platforms. Higher Ground Productions has a first look deal for film and television with Netflix and Higher Ground Audio has a first look podcast deal with Audible. For more information on Higher Ground projects, visit HigherGroundMedia.com.

ABOUT AUDIBLE

Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible's catalog includes more than 1,000,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.

ABOUT WESTERN SOUND

Western Sound is the Peabody Award-winning podcast studio founded by journalist and podcaster Ben Adair. Established in 2018, Western Sound has created dozens of award-winning, hit shows—both its own, original #1 hits Lost Hills and Strangeland, as well as partnered shows for ESPN, The Los Angeles Times, Team Coco, and CNN. Western Sound's most recent shows include two summer '25 Top 10 series Doctor's Orders and The Burden: Get the Money and Run. The most recent awards include a 2024 Peabody Award for Pulse: The Untold Story and a 2024 Peabody Award nomination for Ripple. Numerous Western Sound productions are currently in development as both TV and feature films.

ABOUT TALKHOUSE

Talkhouse is a Webby-Award-winning first-person media company, podcast network, and outlet for musicians, actors, filmmakers, and others in their respective fields. Talkhouse's podcast series include Subway Takes, How Long Gone, Blank Check, Alison Roman's Solicited Advice, Life of the Record, Craig Finn's That's How I Remember It, Santigold's Noble Champions, Björk: Sonic Symbolism, which GQ praises as "a road map to the creative life," delivering what The New Yorker calls "a rare chance to listen in as one of the most mysterious and mystical artists working today explains herself, as well as the new Fela Kuti: Fear No Man which critics are raving about and represents Jad Abumrad’s triumphant return to audio. Björk's Cornucopia represents Talkhouse's first foray into producing TV/film. Other projects are currently in development and production.