Africa & Asia

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow ~ Strongman ruler of Turkmenistan and frequent finalist in the "World's Craziest Dictator" Olympics. Also locally known by the far more pronounceable name of Arkadag. Besides winning elections by hilariously lopsided margins Arkadag's other hobbies include having gold statues made in his honour, being the nation's champion horse and car racer. Oh; And having the nation's favorite pop duo with his son Serdar, who by happy coincidence is also a colonel and governor.

JOHN OLIVER REPORTS ON ARKADAG;


King Bhumibol Adulyadej ~ King of Thailand from 1946 to his death in 2016, making him at the time the world longest serving monarch (Queen Elizabeth did not take the throne until 1952). The normally quiet and retiring King was a huge fan of Dixieland and Big Band Jazz and played the saxophone including sitting in with visiting players like Benny Goodman, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Stan Getz, Lionel Hampton, and Benny Carter. He also composed over 40 songs (not all of them Jazz) and did some recordings. Being a King probably helped but unlike some other royal musicians he was actually considered a good player and some of his compositions have been recorded by the likes of Claude Bolling, Les Brown and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. His brother and predecessor King Ananada also played the clarinet and the two did much to encourage a Jazz scene in Thailand which would also lead to a rock and soul scene in the late 60's which was second in Asia only to Japan's.

KING BHUMBIBOL ~ "HOW HIGH THE MOON";


Sherali Joʻrayev - Uzbek singer/songwriter, considered one of the most important artists in Uzbekistan and an activist known for his political content he served in the country's National Assembly from 1990-95 but fell out of favour for criticizing the government and was banned for a decade until the country's strongman leader died. He died in 2023.

SHERALI JO'RAYEV ~ "ARTIRGULIM";


Mahesh Kumar Kanodia - Indian actor/singer from the 1950's to the 1980's and then an MP for the BJP Party from 1991–2009, he died in 2020

MAHESH KANODIA;


Fela Kuti ~ The most famous African musician of his time was also a well known political dissident in his native Nigeria famous for his stinging attacks on the government in music and in print. When the first free elections in a decade were called in 1979 Fela formed his own party and announced his candidacy for president, however his candidacy was disallowed by the government. Fela continued to agitate for democracy and was arrested on trumped up charges in 1984 but released twenty months later after much international pressure. In 1993 he was arrested again but Nigeria's dictator Abacha died the next year. By this time Fela was probably already battling the AIDs that would kill him in 1997.

FELA KUTI ~ "TEACHER DON'T TEACH ME NO NONSENSE";





Kim Ill Sung ~ North Korea's original Dear Leader and founder of the world's most repressive dictatorship was actually educated by Christian missionaries and played the organ in church.

Kim Jong Ill ~ North Korea's batshit insane dictator claimed to have written seven operas, which is pretty impressive. Mind you the official party line is that Kim is also the worlds most prolific author with more than 15,000 books to his credit as well as being the worlds greatest golfer with no less than 11 holes in one, which is better than Tiger Woods. So there. His wife was formerly a popular singer.

Rui Mingas ~ A popular singer and composer in Angola who came from a famous family of musicians, his music would combine Afro-Jazz with Portugese and local traditions and one of his compositions, "Angola Avante" would become the national amthem and he he would serve in the National Congress from 2017-2021, dying in 2023 aged 84. His brother Andre was also a musician and politician.

RUI MINGAS ~ "POEMA DE FARRA";


Balen Shah ~ A popuar Rapper in Nepal ran for the Mayor of Kathmandu in 2022

BALEN SHAH:


Prince Norodom Sihanouk ~ The on-and-off King of Cambodia during the turbulent years from 1941 to his death in 2012 was also a filmmaker and a classically trained musician playing piano, saxophone, clarinet and organ led an orchestra and wrote dozens of compositions combining traditional Cambodian and French music covering romantic and patriotic themes. His nephew and successor Norodom Suramarit was also a musician.

King Norodom Suramarit ~ King of Cambodia since 2012 was raised in exile in France were he received formal training in music and ballet developing a style combiing tradional Cambodian and Western dance and theatre and has written his own compositions.

Valentine Strasser ~ As a young 25 year old captain in the Sierra Leone army and champion disco dancer Strasser led a small protest in 1992 against the government over lack of pay and equipment. Fearing a full blown coup the unpopular president resigned and fled the country, upon which Strasser then declared himself president. A charismatic figure known for his flamboyant clothes and Ray Ban shades as well as his youth as the worlds youngest generalissimo he was initially popular, including in the west, but his regime became more brutal and led to more unrest. Strasser held power until he was in turn overthrown in another coup in 1996. Strasser then fled to England to study law. His brief rule is mentioned in the Super Furry Animals track "Placid Casual," from the album Radiator. He has since been threatened with trail for war crimes and deportation.

U Phoyo Zayer Thaw ~ 40 ~ Myanmar' most famous Rapper with his Hip Hop group ACID before becoming a Member of Parliament Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD Party where he served two terms before returning to music. He opposed the 2019 coup and was arrested by the Junta on trumped up charges and executed in 2022

ACID;


Bobi Wine ~ Popular Ugandan singer known for his political pro-democracy activism being frequently been arrested, was elected to parliament as an opposition member in 2017 and announced his intention to run for the Presidency in 2020 against the regime of President Musevani which has been in power for thirty years. In the subsequent election Museveni was declared the winner in a disputed election after demonstration were put down with much police violence and Bibi himself put under house arrest.

BOBI WINE ~ "KYRENGA";


General Wiranto ~ The Indonesian strongman (like many Indonesians he has only one name) until 2009 is also a lover of karaoke and even recorded an album of love songs called "For My Indonesia" when he wasn't busy racking up human rights abuses in East Timor.

Rasolofondraosolo Zafimahaleo; Better known by the far more pronounceable stage name "Dama", is the lead singer/guitarist for the folk-rock group Mahaleo, the best known band in Madagascar since the 1970's playing a fusion of tradition Malagasy folk music and folk rock. Various band members have long supported political causes with Dama successfully running for a seat in the nation's National Assembly and has hinted that he might run for President.

MAHALEO ~ "ISEKELY";


Pierre-Claver Zeng Ebome ~ Popular Gabonese singer in the 1970's and pro-democracy activist who entered politics as "The Crooner Politician". He got elected became a cabinet minister and advocated for canceling third world debts until his death in 2010.

PIERRE CLAVER ZENG;