NPR

How Nigerian musician Fela Kuti used music as a weapon against dictatorship

View original article → Feb 12, 2026, 9:02 PM

+43 words added -0 words removed

+ NPR Music LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Sign up for the [TITLE] Newsletter Get perks with [Podcast Title]+ Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

Terry Gross Considered the father of Afrobeat, Kuti used his music in the 1970s to combat colonial values and brutal dictatorship. Podcaster Jad Abumrad tells his story in the series, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor