Apple Uses Fela Kuti Song in MacBook Air Ad

The 1971 track “Let’s Start” appears in Apple’s promotional video for the new MacBook Air with the M5 chip.

March 6, 2026
4:51 pm
Fela Kuti, founder of Afrobeat and one of Nigeria's most celebrated musical exports, whose work remains commercially relevant more than 25 years after his passing.
Fela Kuti, founder of Afrobeat and one of Nigeria's most celebrated musical exports, whose work remains commercially relevant more than 25 years after his passing.

Apple Inc. has featured Fela Kuti‘s 1971 song “Let’s Start” in a promotional video for its newly launched MacBook Air with the M5 chip.

 

The video, published on Apple’s official YouTube channel on March 3, 2026, uses the track as its soundtrack while highlighting the laptop’s performance and slim design.

 

“Let’s Start” appears on Live!, a 1971 album recorded in London by Fela Kuti and his band Africa ’70 alongside British drummer Ginger Baker. The placement gives the song renewed global exposure through Apple’s website, social media channels, and Apple Music, where the track links to the product page.

 

The development comes weeks after Fela Kuti received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2026. The recognition from the Recording Academy made him the first African artist to receive the honour.

 

The song has previously appeared in international productions, including the 2021 western The Harder They Fall, directed by Jeymes Samuel and starring Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, and LaKeith Stanfield.

 

Apple has not disclosed the financial details of the sync deal with Fela Kuti’s estate. Industry estimates suggest global advertising sync fees can range from $20,000 to more than $500,000 depending on campaign reach and usage rights.

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