Sound Tracks Pilot Episode

TONIGHT ON SOUND TRACKS: WE SLIP INSIDE THE KREMLIN TO SEE WHO WROTE THIS CATCHY PROPAGANDA SONG FOR PUTIN.

[ women singing in Russian to techno beat ] ♪ FOR REAL I WANT TO TELL YOU ♪ WE TELL THE STORY OF FELA KUTI, THE AFRICAN SUPERSTAR WHOSE LIFE IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF A BROADWAY MUSICAL.

I EVEN HAVE A NAME FOR IT: BLACK PRESIDENT.

[ playing Afrobeat song ] AND WE TRAVEL TO NIGERIA TO MEET THE SON WHO'S KEEPING HIS FATHER'S SPIRIT ALIVE.

♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG MOMMY ♪ ♪ DEM, DEM, DEM, MOMMY-O ♪ THEN WE'RE OFF TO KAZAKHSTAN... My name Borat.

TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A COMIC MAKES FUN OF THEIR NATIONAL ANTHEM... [ men's choir singing ] AND THEIR PRESIDENT IS NOT AMUSED.

I'M MARCO WERMAN; THAT'S OUR MIX: MUSIC AND POLITICS WITH A PRESIDENTIAL TWIST.

PLUS, OUR GLOBAL HIT BY OUR MUSICAL GUEST MARIZA.

IT'S ALL COMING UP ON SOUND TRACKS.

[ Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk" plays ] [ ♪♪♪ ] Alexis Bloom: WHEN I THINK OF RUSSIA, ALL SORTS OF MUSIC COMES TO MIND: TCHAIKOVSKY, RACHMANINOFF, EVEN THEMES FROM SPY THRILLERS.

BUT WHAT'S BROUGHT ME TO MOSCOW IS SOMETHING ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT: PROPAGANDA MUSIC.

[ "National Anthem of the Soviet Union" playing ] THE U.S.S.R. MAY BE GONE, ITS OLD ANTHEMS A RELIC OF THE PAST, BUT A NEW KIND OF PROPAGANDA MUSIC LIVES ON.

AND TODAY, PROPAGANDA HAS A WHOLE NEW BEAT.

RUSSIAN LEADER VLADIMIR PUTIN IS TREATED LIKE A ROCK STAR WITH HIS OWN PERSONAL PROPAGANDA SONG WHICH THEY SING AT HIS RALLIES.

[ Singing Together performs "A Man Like Putin" ] THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDFATHER'S PROPAGANDA MUSIC.

WRITTEN IN 2002, IT ESPECIALLY APPEALS TO PUTIN'S YOUNG SUPPORTERS.

IT'S BECOME HIS THEME SONG.

[ speaking in Russian ] [ "A Man Like Putin" continues ] I CAME TO MOSCOW TO INVESTIGATE WHO WAS BEHIND THIS SONG AND HOW IT WAS USED IN PUTIN'S RISE TO POWER.

[ chanting in Russian ] [ playing heavy metal song ] IN A REHEARSAL STUDIO, I MET THE MAN WHO WROTE THE SONG.

[ singing in Russian ] HIS NAME IS ALEXANDER YELIN.

THESE DAYS HE'S PROMOTING A NEW GROUP, AN ALL-GIRL HEAVY METAL BAND.

[ singing in Russian ] YELIN USED TO BE A ROCK 'N' ROLL DISSIDENT BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE U.S.S.R. [ speaking in Russian ] [ playing heavy metal song ] TODAY, YELIN'S PART OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ESTABLISHMENT, A LITTLE OLDER, A LOT MORE CYNICAL.

HE SAYS HE WROTE "A MAN LIKE PUTIN" ON A BET.

YELIN KNEW THAT WRITING A SOVIET-STYLE PROPAGANDA SONG ABOUT PUTIN WOULD NEVER SELL IN TODAY'S RUSSIA.

THE BET WAS ON, BUT YELIN NEEDED A PRODUCER, SO HE TURNED TO OLD FRIEND NIKOLAI GASTELLO.

[ playing folk tune ] THESE DAYS, GASTELLO IS A D.J.

AT RUSSIA'S TOP RADIO STATION.

[ speaking in Russian ] BACK IN 2002, HE WAS WORKING FOR THE KREMLIN.

[ speaking in Russian ] BUT HE WAS MOONLIGHTING IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, AND HE IMMEDIATELY SAW THE POTENTIAL OF THE PUTIN SONG.

HE BEGAN SEARCHING FOR SINGERS.

IRINA KOZLOVA WAS 18 YEARS OLD WHEN GASTELLO SPOTTED HER IN A NIGHTCLUB.

SHE HAD JUST FINISHED A WORLD TOUR AS A DANCER AND WAS READY TO TRY SOMETHING NEW.

GASTELLO PROMISED TO MAKE HER A STAR.

THERE WAS A POLL THAT WAS DONE RECENTLY WHERE RUSSIAN WOMEN VOTED VLADIMIR PUTIN THE SEXIEST MAN IN THE WORLD.

WHY IS THIS?

[ speaking in Russian ] THE OTHER SINGER, YANA DANIEKO, CAME WITH A PEDIGREE.

HER FATHER WAS A FAMOUS SOVIET-ERA SINGER.

SHE WAS HONORED WHEN GASTELLO ASKED HER TO SING ABOUT PUTIN.

[ speaking in Russian ] YANA AND IRINA TOLD ME THAT PUTINWAS NOT JUST THEIR POLITICAL LEADER, HE WAS THEIR IDEAL MAN.

AND THIS WAS EXACTLY THE SENTIMENT THAT YELIN, THE SONGWRITER, HOPED TO EXPLOIT IN THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR "A MAN LIKE PUTIN."

THESE ARE THE IMAGES ALL OVER RUSSIA: PUTIN AS BLACK BELT, PUTIN AS COMMANDER, PUTIN AS HUNKY FISHERMAN.

WHO COULD THE PRODUCERS POSSIBLY GET TO PLAY HIM IN THEIR MUSIC VIDEO?

THEY DISCOVERED HIM IN A GARAGE IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA.

ANATOLY GORBUNOV IS A NATURAL-BORN HAM.

HE BUILDS ANTIQUE CARS AND MADE THIS SLAPSTICK VIDEO WITH THE GOOFY MUSIC TO ADVERTISE HIS COMPANY.

WHEN PUTIN BECAME PRESIDENT IN 2000, ANATOLY SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF IN DEMAND AS A PUTIN IMPERSONATOR.

ONCE THEY'D FOUND THEIR PUTIN, THE PRODUCERS WERE READY TO MAKE THEIR MUSIC VIDEO.

GASTELLO CAST HIMSELF AS PUTIN'S RIGHT-HAND MAN PLOTTING THE RELEASE OF A PROPAGANDA SONG.

[ techno beat plays ] THE VIDEO HAS A SECRET-AGENT FEEL, PUTIN AS SPYMASTER, COMPLETE WITH HIS BOND GIRLS.

[ singing in Russian ] THIS WAS A NEW KIND OF PROPAGANDA: IRONIC, FUNNY.

BUT HAD THEY GONE TOO FAR?

HOW WOULD PUTIN REACT?

RADIO STATIONS WERE NERVOUS.

WHAT IF HE HATED IT?

WHAT IF HE THOUGHT HE WAS BEING RIDICULED?

[ singing in Russian ] [ Gastello speaking in Russian ] WITH PUTIN'S NOD OF APPROVAL, THE SONG TOOK OFF ON GOVERNMENT RADIO STATIONS.

AND THE VIDEO WAS FEATURED ON RUSSIA'S MTV.

WITHIN WEEKS, THE SONG HIT NUMBER ONE ON ALL THE CHARTS.

YELIN AND GASTELLO HAD DONE IT.

THEY CREATED A NEW KIND OF PROPAGANDA SONG, A SONG FOR THE PUTIN GENERATION.

PUTIN USED THE SONG THROUGHOUT HIS PRESIDENCY, ESPECIALLY DURING HIS 2004 REELECTION CAMPAIGN, AND THE SONG IS STILL PLAYED AT PRO-PUTIN RALLIES.

THOUGH HIS PRESIDENTIAL TERM ENDED IN 2008, HE CONTINUES TO WIELD POWER AS PRIME MINISTER.

BUT OF COURSE, NOT EVERYONE IN RUSSIA ADMIRES PUTIN OR HIS SONG.

ONE OF THE LAST INDEPENDENT MEDIA OUTLETS IN RUSSIA IS ECHO OF MOSCOW RADIO.

THE FOUNDER, SERGEI BUNTMAN, IS AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF PUTIN'S PROPAGANDA.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME PEOPLE HERE ARE KIND OF BRAINWASHED.

IS THAT TOO STRONG A WORD TO USE?

[ speaking in Russian ] WHEN I ASKED HIM WHAT HE THOUGHT OF THE PUTIN SONG, BUNTMAN SAID IT WAS A CLEVER WHITEWASH.

PUTIN'S MANIPULATION OF THE MEDIA HAS STRENGTHENED HIS HOLD ON POWER, BUT THE POPULARITY OF THE PUTIN SONG GOES WAY BEYOND POLITICS ACCORDING TO YELIN, THE SONGWRITER.

IF I WAS A RUSSIAN WOMAN, WOULD I WANT A MAN LIKE PUTIN?

PUTIN HAS GONE OUT OF HIS WAY TO SHOW THAT HE IS A STRONGMAN, RELEASING MARTIAL ARTS VIDEOTAPES WHERE HE BODY SLAMS OPPONENTS.

IT ALL PLAYS INTO RUSSIAN NOSTALGIA FOR A TIME WHEN THEIR COUNTRY WAS A SUPERPOWER.

[ singing in Russian ] FEEL-GOOD SONGS ABOUT THE SOVIET UNION ARE BACK, AND ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SINGERS PERFORMING THEM IS YANA, THE SAME YANA WHO MADE "A MAN LIKE PUTIN" A MEGA-HIT.

I WATCHED AS SHE SANG A '70s-ERA SONG REMIXED FOR THE PUTIN GENERATION.

HER PARTNER, MIKHAIL, IS THE WINNER OF RUSSIA'S VERSION OF AMERICAN IDOL.

[ singing in Russian ] THEY'RE LIKE A RUSSIAN PARTRIDGE FAMILY, BRINGING BREZHNEV-ERA SONGS BACK TO LIFE.

DOES YOUR FATHER EVER SAY TO YOU, YOUR FATHER WHO LIVED DURING THE SOVIET UNION, "TIMES WERE NOT ACTUALLY THAT GOOD THEN, YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY FOR BEING NOSTALGIC ABOUT THOSE DAYS?"

[ laughs ] YANA CLAIMS THESE ARE SIMPLY GREAT TUNES AND SHE DOESN'T ANALYZE THE LYRICS.

[ singing in Russian ] BUT THIS SONG WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AS A SOVIET PROPAGANDA TUNE, AND NOW IT'S BEING REPACKAGED AND SOLD AGAIN.

IN PUTIN'S RUSSIA, MOSCOW IS A CITY OF BRIGHT LIGHTS AND GLAMOUR.

HOWEVER HEAVY-HANDED PUTIN MAY BE, HE HAS PRESIDED OVER AN ERA OF RELATIVE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, AND HE REMAINS VERY POPULAR.

IN MOSCOW'S GLITTERING NIGHT, IT'S ALL ABOUT ENJOYING THE MOMENT.

THE KARAOKE CLUBS ARE PACKED, AND THEY'RE STILL PLAYING THAT SAME OLD TUNE.

[ singing "A Man Like Putin" ] THIS NIGHT WAS A REUNION.

YANA AND IRINA OFFERED TO TAKE THE STAGE FOR US AND SING THE SONG THAT MADE THEM FAMOUS.

[ Gastello speaking in Russian ] AND YELIN, THE OLD ROCK 'N' ROLL DISSIDENT, SAYS HE HAS NO REGRETS HIS SONG BECAME THE ANTHEM FOR THE PUTIN GENERATION.

[ music ends ] [ cheers and applause ] SPASIBA!

[ Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk" plays ] COMING UP LATER ON SOUND TRACKS, WE GO TO KAZAKHSTAN AND HOLLYWOOD.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MOVIE BORAT AND A FAKE NATIONAL ANTHEM, AND IT'S EVEN WEIRDER THAN YOU THINK.

BUT FIRST, COME WITH ME.

THIS IS LAGOS, NIGERIA.

I'M TRACKING DOWN THE STORY OF FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI, ONE OF AFRICA'S MUSICAL LEGENDS.

[ Fela Kuti song plays ] ♪ YOU AFRICANS LISTEN TO ME AS AFRICANS ♪ ♪ AND YOU NON-AFRICANS LISTEN TO ME WITH OPEN MIND ♪ LAGOS, NIGERIA: URBAN AFRICA IN THE EXTREME.

SIXTEEN MILLION PEOPLE VYING FOR SPACE IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S FASTEST-GROWING CITIES.

I'VE TRAVELED TO A LOT OF PLACES IN AFRICA, BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A CITY AS INTENSE AS THIS.

LAGOS IS INFAMOUS FOR CRIME AND POVERTY, BUT IT'S ALSO KNOWN FOR THE HUSTLE AND RAW ENERGY THAT PRODUCED ONE OF AFRICA'S GREATEST MUSICIANS: FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI.

IN THE '70s, FELA TOOK THE BEST OF AMERICAN FUNK AND JAZZ, MIXED IT WITH WEST AFRICAN JUJU AND HIGHLIFE, AND CREATED SOME OF THE BOLDEST, MOST ORIGINAL MUSIC EVER MADE.

HE CALLED IT AFROBEAT.

BUT AFROBEAT WAS MORE THAN A STYLE OF MUSIC, IT WAS A MOVEMENT.

INSPIRED BY THE BLACK PANTHERS AND MALCOLM X, FELA BECAME A VOICE OF ANGER AND PROTEST.

SINGING IN A MIX OF PIDGIN ENGLISH AND YORUBA, FELA RAILED AGAINST THE BRUTALITY OF NIGERIA'S MILITARY RULERS AND THE PLUNDERING OF THE COUNTRY'S OIL PROFITS.

[ singing ] Fela Kuti: So I think as far as Africa is concerned, music cannot be for enjoyment.

Music has to be for revolution.

FELA DIED IN 1997, BUT HIS OFFSPRING ARE KEEPING HIS FLAME BURNING.

♪ BANG, BANG, BANG ♪ ♪ BANG, BANG, BANG... ♪ FEMI, HIS OLDEST SON, ONCE PLAYED IN FELA'S BAND.

HE NOW HAS HIS OWN GROUP, THE POSITIVE FORCE, AND HAS BECOME A STAR ON THE GLOBAL MUSIC SCENE.

[ playing scales ] I'M HERE IN LAGOS TO MEET FELA'S YOUNGEST SON, SEUN.

SEUN.

WHAT'S UP, MAN?

GOOD TO SEE YOU; HOW ARE YOU?

SEUN IS 26 YEARS OLD AND HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A DEBUT ALBUM THAT REMINDS MANY OF HIS FATHER'S REBEL SPIRIT.

HE'S PROUD OF THE LEGACY BUT CAUTIOUS ABOUT COMPARISONS.

THERE IS ONLY ONE BIG DIFFERENCE: THAT FELA'S MUSIC WAS BETTER.

[ laughs ] I THINK.

THAT'S VERY MODEST OF YOU.

AH, HMM.

YOU SEE, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO ACHIEVE SO MUCH.

HERE I AM WITH MY FIRST ALBUM ONLY, SO DEFINITELY COMPARED TO FELA, EVERY TIME I LISTEN TO HIM, I'M LIKE, "AH, WHY DIDN'T I COME UP WITH THAT IDEA?"

[ singing ] [ Seun speaking in accented English ] IT'S THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN COMMON MAN.

BECAUSE REALLY NOBODY SPEAKS FOR A LOT OF US IN AFRICA.

THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR THE PEOPLE.

FELA WAS BORN INTO A WEALTHY FAMILY, BUT HE REBELLED AGAINST HIS UPBRINGING AND MOVED TO A WORKING-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.

HE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNE THAT HE CALLED THE KALAKUTA REPUBLIC, A PLACE HE DECLARED INDEPENDENT FROM NIGERIAN LAW.

FELA'S LIFESTYLE WAS PROVOCATIVE.

HE OPENLY SMOKED CANNABIS, MARRIED MULTIPLE WIVES, AND EVEN TRIED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT UNDER HIS OWN POLITICAL PARTY, MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE.

DOWNSTAIRS?

NOW SEUN LIVES HERE WITH FRIENDS, RELATIVES, AND FELLOW MUSICIANS.

BE CAREFUL, MAN.

[ man playing trumpet ] THE BUILDING IS RUN-DOWN, BUT THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT REMAINS.

IN THE FRONT COURTYARD, A MARBLE PYRAMID MARKS FELA'S TOMB.

SO WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT LIVING HERE AS A KID?

LOTS OF PEOPLE AND ACTIVITY AND THE PRESENCE OF FELA, A PHYSICAL PRESENCE.

HIS PHYSICAL PRESENCE WAS ALWAYS FELT HERE.

FELA DIED AN UNTIMELY DEATH FROM AIDS AT THE AGE OF 58.

A MILLION PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR HIS FUNERAL.

AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH, SEUN FOUND OUT THAT THE KUTI FAMILY WAS READY TO LET FELA'S BAND, THE EGYPT 80, BREAK UP.

AT A FAMILY MEETING, THE TEENAGER STEPPED UP WITH AN IDEA: HE'D TAKE OVER THE BAND.

[ speaking in accented English ] IT WAS AN ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMEONE SO YOUNG.

FELA HAD EMPLOYED DOZENS OF MUSICIANS AND DANCERS, AND THE KUTI FAMILY TOLD SEUN IF HE WANTED TO TAKE OVER THE BAND, HE'D BE ON HIS OWN.

[ playing upbeat tune ] DEDE MABIAKU, A FELLOW MUSICIAN AND FELA'S CLOSE FRIEND, STEPPED FORWARD TO MENTOR SEUN.

THEN SEUN WAS STILL IN SCHOOL AND WE STARTED RE-REHEARSING NOTE FOR NOTE, TONE FOR TONE, STANDARD FOR STANDARD, LEVELS FOR LEVELS ALL FELA'S CLASSICS BACK AGAIN WITH THE BAND.

BUT I WOULD SEE THE GROWING YOUNG MAN, YOU KNOW, WITH FIRE IN HIS EYES, AND I WAS VERY HAPPY, BECAUSE TO ME THEN IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO START TO RUN THE RIGHT WAY, AND THE BAND WAS READY.

AND WHEN HE CAME AND MET WITH THE BAND, THE BAND WAS SMOKING AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST IN SYNC.

[ whistles ] [ playing Afrobeat music ] [ Seun speaking in accented English ] MANY OF FELA'S VETERAN BAND MEMBERS ARE STILL PLAYING WITH THE EGYPT 80, BUT NOW THEY TAKE THEIR CUES FROM SEUN.

♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪ ♪ YEAH, YEAH, YEAH ♪ HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?

NICE TO MEET YOU.

EVERY ALBUM FELA RELEASED WAS A RALLYING CRY FOR CHANGE, THE COVERS EMBLAZONED WITH POLITICAL SLOGANS, CARTOONS, AND REBELLIOUS ART.

YEAH.

HELLO.

HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?

LEMI GHARIOKWU ILLUSTRATED MANY OF THOSE ALBUMS.

[ speaking in accented English ] Fela Kuti: ♪ ZOMBIE-O ZOMBIE ♪ IN SONGS LIKE "ZOMBIE," FELA TAUNTED THE NIGERIAN MILITARY.

♪ ZOMBIE NO GO GO UNLESS YOU TELL HIM... ♪ SOON AFTER THE ALBUM'S RELEASE IN 1977, THE GOVERNMENT STRUCK BACK, SENDING 1,000 SOLDIERS TO DESTROY FELA'S KALAKUTA COMPOUND.

THE BUILDING WAS TORCHED; FELA WAS BEATEN.

HIS 82-YEAR-OLD MOTHER WAS THROWN FROM A SECOND-STORY WINDOW AND SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.

FELA CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE AGAINST THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT.

DURING HIS LIFETIME, HE WAS ARRESTED MORE THAN 200 TIMES.

WHAT WAS THE ONLY THING HE WAS DOING?

SPEAKING AND SINGING AND PREACHING THE TRUTH.

THERE'S STILL THE SAME THING GOING ON IN AFRICA, STILL THE SAME THING MY DAD WAS TALKING ABOUT, AND THINGS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE.

NIGERIA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING PRODUCERS OF OIL.

THERE OUGHT TO BE MORE WEALTH HERE.

BUT WALKING AROUND LAGOS, I MOSTLY SEE EVIDENCE OF POVERTY AND OF THE DAILY BATTLE TO SURVIVE THAT FELA CHRONICLED YEARS AGO IN SONGS LIKE "SUFFERING AND SMILING."

[ "Suffering and Smiling" plays ] FELA HAD A FAMOUS NIGHTCLUB CALLED THE SHRINE WHERE HE WOULD PLAY RAUCOUS SHOWS UNTIL DAWN.

THE SHRINE WAS LATER TORN DOWN, BUT SEUN'S OLDER BROTHER FEMI REBUILT IT IN ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY.

[ thunder rumbles ] TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SEE SEUN PERFORM WITH HIS BAND.

[ Afrobeat music plays over speakers ] KICK Aረ(, THAT'S GOOD, MAN.

I'M GOING TO KICK Aረ(.

[ Seun speaking in accented English ] ♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG DADDY ♪ ♪ DEM, DEM, DEM, DADDY-O ♪ ♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG MOMMY ♪ ♪ DEM, DEM, DEM, MOMMY-O ♪ ♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG DADDY ♪ ♪ DEM, DEM, DEM, DADDY-O ♪ ♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG MOMMY ♪ ♪ DEM, DEM, DEM, MOMMY-O ♪ ♪ MAKE UNA HELP ME BEG DADDY... ♪ [ Seun speaking in accented English ] ALL COMPLETED.

[ singing ] MANY THINGS IS THE TITLE OF SEUN'S FIRST ALBUM.

ON IT HE'S SERVING NIGERIA'S ELECTED LEADERS HIS OWN CRITIQUE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY.

WHY DO YOU THINK ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, SHOULD BE THE ONES TO PUSH FOR CHANGE?

I DON'T WANT TO FORCE PEOPLE TO BE INSPIRED, I JUST WANT TO PLAY MY PART AND HOPE THAT MY MUSIC IS GOOD ENOUGH TO INSPIRE THEM TO WANT TO BE THAT CHANGE.

I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD LIVE THEIR LIVES AS PART OF THE SOLUTION.

IT IS STILL EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM.

IF IT'S A PROBLEM THAT RELATES TO YOU ALONE -- [ gunshots firing ] WHAT THE...

SUDDENLY WE HEAR GUNFIRE JUST OUTSIDE SEUN'S WINDOW.

IS SOMEBODY SHOOTING?

I GRAB MY CAMERA AND SEE A MAN WITH A GUN WHO'S BEEN SHOT.

HE'S OUT, NO MORE AMMO.

THE WORD ON THE STREET WAS THAT THE MAN WAS CARRYING A LARGE SUM OF MONEY AND WAS ROBBED.

OH, MY GOD, THAT GUY IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

NO ONE CALLED THE POLICE.

THEY'RE NOTORIOUSLY CORRUPT, AND PEOPLE HERE DON'T TRUST THEM.

AFTER A FEW HOURS, SOMEONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WASHED THE BLOOD OFF THE STREET.

[ ♪♪♪ ] FELA SAID THAT MUSIC SHOULD BE A WEAPON FOR CHANGE.

NOW SEUN IS USING THAT WEAPON.

BUT HE'S ALSO CONSIDERING A MORE CONVENTIONAL MEANS OF HELPING TO CHANGE HIS COUNTRY: RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

I DON'T SEE MYSELF AS PRESIDENT YET, BUT PRESIDENCY IS PART OF MY AMBITION.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO -- IT HAS TO START WITH MY MOVEMENT.

SO WE TIME IT: RIGHT NOW IT'S MY MUSIC, MY MOVEMENT, THEN MY PARTY, YOU KNOW?

WILL YOU GIVE US A 90-MINUTE INTERVIEW WHEN YOU'RE PRESIDENT?

OF COURSE, MAN.

MARCO, JUST CALL ME ANYTIME.

♪ I DON'T HEAR MANY THINGS MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ I DON'T SEE MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ I DON'T HEAR MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ I DON'T SEE MANY THINGS ♪ ♪ MANY THINGS ♪ YEAH, THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH; MERCI BEAUCOUP.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

SEUN WANTS TO GET HIS MESSAGE OUT, AND HE'S STARTING WITH THE YOUNGER GENERATION, EVEN REACHING OUT TO KIDS AT THIS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN LAGOS.

♪ THERE'S SOMETHING WE'RE LIVING WITH ♪ ♪ WE AFRICANS ♪ ♪ THERE'S SOMETHING WE'RE LIVING WITH ♪ SEUN IS NOW TRYING TO TACKLE ISSUES THAT RESONATE ACROSS AFRICA.

HE WROTE THIS TUNE, "MOSQUITO SONG," FOR A BIG PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN AGAINST MALARIA.

AS HE REACHES OUT TO A WIDER AUDIENCE, SEUN IS DETERMINED TO KEEP HIS FATHER'S VISION ALIVE.

MY FATHER'S DREAM OF AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AFRICA WHERE ALL MEN ARE EQUAL AND THERE'S NO INJUSTICE IS AN AFRICA THAT I REALLY WANT TO SEE.

[ song ends ] [ cheers and applause ] ♪ IT TAKES A LIFETIME TO PLAY ONE HAND ♪ ♪ A PAIR OF SHOES FOR EVERY MAN ♪ ♪ A PAIR OF SHOES FOR EVERY MAN ♪ ♪ A PAIR OF SHOES FOR EVERY MAN ♪ JUST AHEAD, OUR GLOBAL HIT PERFORMANCE, BUT FIRST, A TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN AND A STORY ABOUT A FAKE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

[ ♪♪♪ ] Arun Rath: IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING ALONG THE OLD SILK ROAD IN CENTRAL ASIA.

THE PEOPLE OF KAZAKHSTAN ARE CELEBRATING THEIR NEW YEAR, NOWRUZ, A HOLIDAY THAT PROMISES HOPE AND RENEWAL.

THIS FESTIVAL GOES ON FOR DAYS, HONORING A KAZAKH CULTURE THAT DATES BACK TO GENGHIS KHAN.

IT'S AN ANCIENT CULTURE OF WARRIORS, NOMADS, AND SHAMAN.

[ yelling ] AND IT'S HOME TO ONE OF THE OLDEST INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD, A TINY MOUTH HARP.

IT'S NOT AS EASY AS IT LOOKS.

[ laughing ] I'LL GET THE HANG OF IT EVENTUALLY.

WANDERING THROUGH THIS FESTIVAL, I WAS CONSTANTLY BEING SURPRISED.

IT WAS ALL SO...UNEXPECTED, BECAUSE ALL I'D SEEN OF KAZAKHSTAN BEFORE WAS IN A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE.

Jag sie masz!

My name Borat.

I like you.

I like sex.

It's nice.

IN 2006, SACHA BARON COHEN PUT KAZAKHSTAN ON THE MAP.

WELL, SORT OF.

BORAT WAS ACTUALLY SHOT IN ROMANIA, AND THE FILM WAS COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS.

This is Natalya.

She's my sister.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, MOST PEOPLE IN KAZAKHSTAN WERE OFFENDED, ESPECIALLY THE PRESIDENT, NURSULTAN NAZARBAYEV, WHO TOOK HIS COMPLAINTS TO WASHINGTON AND LAUNCHED A GLOBAL P.R.

CAMPAIGN TO SALVAGE HIS COUNTRY'S BATTERED IMAGE.

BUT THERE WAS ONE KAZAKH WHO SAW THIS CONTROVERSY AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIMSELF AND HIS COUNTRY.

MARAT BISENGALIEV IS A VIRTUOSO VIOLINIST, KAZAKHSTAN'S ITZHAK PERLMAN.

HE'S TRAVELED THE WORLD, A CULTURAL AMBASSADOR FOR KAZAKHSTAN.

MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF BORAT WAS, OF COURSE, VERY NEGATIVE.

BUT I'M ONE OF THOSE KAZAKHS WHO THINK THAT THIS FILM IS GOOD FOR KAZAKHSTAN.

I WAS THRILLED, BECAUSE AT LAST KAZAKHSTAN WAS NOTICED, AT LAST THERE IS A BIG INTEREST TO SEE THE REAL KAZAKHSTAN.

MARAT TOLD ME THERE WAS PLENTY OF DAMAGE TO UNDO.

THE FILM HAD CREATED A LOT OF FALSE IMPRESSIONS.

THEY DIDN'T USE ANYTHING FROM KAZAKH CULTURE: NO LANGUAGE ELEMENTS, NO MUSIC, AND EVEN THE ACTORS WERE FROM ROMANIA.

AND PERHAPS MOST OFFENSIVE WAS THE MOVIE'S FAKE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

[ men's choir singing ] THE NATIONAL ANTHEM THAT WAS IN THE BORAT MOVIE, "KAZAKHSTAN, GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES RULED BY LITTLE GIRLS," WHAT WAS YOUR TAKE ON THAT?

WELL, IT WAS SO RIDICULOUS, SO OVER-THE-TOP THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYONE WOULD SMILE.

MARAT GOT THE JOKE, BUT HE COULDN'T JUST LAUGH IT OFF.

ME, PERSONALLY, I JUST WANTED SOMETHING MORE TO -- HOW YOU SAY, TO EVEN UP -- TO, IF YOU'LL EXCUSE THE PUN, EVEN THE SCORE.

YES, TRUE.

BUT AS I LISTENED TO MARAT PLAY, I WONDERED HOW HE COULD TURN THIS STORY AROUND AND, IN THE FAMOUS WORDS OF BORAT, MAKE BENEFIT TO THE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN.

[ ♪♪♪ ] HE DID IT BY GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE BELLY OF THE BEAST, HOLLYWOOD.

[ maniacal laughter ] ON A STUDIO LOT, I FOUND THE MAN WHO COMPOSED THE SOUNDTRACK FOR BORAT.

I COULD SHOW YOU, I'VE GOT -- SO THAT'S MY STRINGS.

HE WAS THE KEY TO MARAT'S PLAN.

AT THE MOMENT, I THINK I'VE GOT A HARP HERE.

THIS IS ERRAN BARON COHEN, THE BROTHER OF SACHA BARON COHEN, WHO PLAYED BORAT.

THEY'RE VERY REALISTIC SOUNDS, AND I'VE GOT SOME HORNS SOMEWHERE.

ACTUALLY, MY HORNS AREN'T WORKING.

ERRAN WRITES THE MUSIC FOR ALL HIS BROTHER'S MOVIES, AND HE'S THE ONE WHO COMPOSED THE INFAMOUS FAKE KAZAKH NATIONAL ANTHEM.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY WERE GOING TO USE THE REAL KAZAKHSTANI NATIONAL ANTHEM, AND THEY -- THEY COULDN'T GET PERMISSION TO USE IT, AND I GOT A CALL ON ONE EVENING SAYING, "WELL, WE NEED A NEW ANTHEM BY TOMORROW."

AND THE IDEA WAS TO PUT UP THIS VERY BIG CHOIR -- BECAUSE IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I COULDN'T GET A HOLD OF ANYBODY, SO I JUST HAD TO SING EVERY PART MYSELF.

SO I'M MULTITRACKED ABOUT 40 TIMES.

[ singing fake anthem ] THE KAZAKHSTANI GOVERNMENT AND EMBASSIES INITIALLY DIDN'T REALLY -- IT WAS NOT THEIR FAVORITE MOVIE.

I THINK THEY BANNED IT, IN FACT.

SO NO ONE WAS MORE SURPRISED THAN ERRAN WHEN THE PHONE RANG AND MARAT BISENGALIEV WAS ON THE LINE.

WHEN THIS GUY CALLED MARAT FIRST RANG ME, I THOUGHT, IS THIS A JOKE, BECAUSE THE REACTION HAD BEEN FROM KAZAKHSTAN SO NEGATIVE THAT TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THEIR ORCHESTRA RING YOU UP WAS INTERESTING.

MARAT'S KIND OF -- HE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN INSTIGATOR.

WELL, HE'S ALSO A GREAT MUSICIAN.

AND HE SPOKE ABOUT THIS IDEA OF ME WRITING A WORK FOR HIS ORCHESTRA.

ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL CONCEPT OF IT SEEMED A BIT FUNNY, I DO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, ETHNIC MUSIC AND LOOKING AT THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

I'LL SAY.

ERRAN IS THE KIND OF MUSICIAN WHO HAS NO PROBLEM MIXING HIP-HOP WITH A HANUKKAH CLASSIC.

♪ DREIDEL DREIDEL ♪ ♪ I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY ♪ ♪ WHEN I'M GOOD AND READY ♪ ♪ DREIDEL I'M GON' PLAY ♪ ♪ OH, DREIDEL ♪ ♪ OH, DREIDEL ♪ ♪ OH, DREIDEL... ♪ MARAT THE INSTIGATOR WAS TAKING A CHANCE ON ERRAN THE PROVOCATEUR.

I SUPPOSE PART OF THE IDEA OF GETTING ME TO WRITE MUSIC FOR THE ORCHESTRA WAS HE KNEW IT'D BE AN INTERESTING STORY, WHICH IT CERTAINLY WAS.

I'D WRITTEN FULL ORCHESTRA FOR SOME FILM SCORES, BUT NEVER FOR A LARGE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA, SO IT WAS A REAL CHALLENGE, BUT I LIKE A CHALLENGE.

ERRAN WORKED ON THE PIECE FOR MONTHS, POURING HIS HEART INTO IT, A SYMPHONY FOR MARAT'S ORCHESTRA CALLED "ZERE," AN OLIVE BRANCH TO KAZAKHSTAN.

["Zere"playing over speakers ] [ ♪♪♪ ] IN KAZAKHSTAN, THE FEELINGS ARE STILL RAW ABOUT BORAT.

MARAT KNEW HE WAS PLAYING WITH FIRE.

I'M NOT AFRAID TO TAKE RISKY PROJECTS, BUT PROBABLY ERRAN'S PROJECT WAS THE MOST RISKY ONE.

HAS THEIR BEEN ANY BACKLASH AGAINST YOU PERSONALLY FOR SECURING THIS COMMISSION?

YES, I HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT I'M SOME KIND OF TRAITOR.

YES, YOU COULD FIND REALLY HARSH COMMENTS, OF COURSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I EXPECTED THAT.

THE MAIN RISK FOR ME WAS TO RECEIVE THE SCORE WITH MUSIC WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, WHICH IS NOT SERIOUS.

BUT THAT WASN'T THE CASE.

YEAH, THAT WASN'T THE CASE.

WHEN MARAT HEARD THE MUSIC, HE WAS RELIEVED.

ERRAN'S SYMPHONY WAS FRESH AND PROVOCATIVE.

[orchestra playing "Zere"] BUT WHAT WOULD MARAT'S COUNTRYMEN THINK?

MARAT HAD BEEN WARY OF PERFORMING THE SYMPHONY IN KAZAKHSTAN, BUT NOW HE TOOK ANOTHER CHANCE.

HE DECIDED TO DEBUT ERRAN'S WORK IN KAZAKHSTAN'S PREMIER CONCERT HALL IF SOUND TRACKS WOULD BE THERE TO FILM IT.

THAT WAS AN OFFER WE COULDN'T REFUSE.

BACKSTAGE, TENSIONS WERE HIGH.

HOW WOULD THE AUDIENCE REACT?

CAN A PIECE OF MUSIC REALLY MAKE AMENDS?

EVEN THE ORCHESTRA HAD ITS DOUBTS.

[ speaking in Kazakh ] THE CROWD WAS LOOKING A LITTLE BIT THIN AT FIRST, BUT IT'S FILLED OUT.

WE MIGHT HAVE A PACKED AUDIENCE.

[ announcer speaking in Kazakh ] HERE WE GO.

[ applause ] I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I AM QUITE NERVOUS.

I EXPECT SOME POLARIZED OPINIONS OF HIS MUSIC, ESPECIALLY HERE IN KAZAKHSTAN.

[ playing"Zere"] BUT AS I LISTENED TO MARAT PLAY, I BEGAN TO FEEL THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

IF ATONEMENT HAS A SOUND, THIS COULD BE IT.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THE FACT THAT THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE BROTHER OF THE GUY WHO DID BORAT?

[ speaking in accented English ] MUSIC IS A POSITIVE FORCE; IT BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER WHERE SOMETIMES OTHER THINGS DON'T, SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT MUSIC IS ABOUT.

FOR ME, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY GREAT VINDICATION.

THAT'S A TREMENDOUS FEELING, WHICH YOU CAN IMAGINE.

[ applause ] [ woman speaking in Kazakh ] [ speaking in Kazakh ] MARAT'S PLAN HAD WORKED.

OUT OF DISCORD, HE BROUGHT HARMONY, AND BENEFIT WAS MADE TO THE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN.

[ ♪♪♪ ] ♪ IT TAKES AN OCEAN TO SEE THE LAND ♪ ♪ FOOTPRINTS EVERYWHERE WE STAND ♪ ♪ IT TAKES A LIFETIME TO PLAY ONE HAND ♪ ♪ A PAIR OF SHOES FOR EVERY MAN ♪ FINALLY TONIGHT, IT'S TIME FOR DESSERT.

OUR GLOBAL HIT, A SONG AND AN ARTIST WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF.

[ Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk" plays ] IN PORTUGAL, THERE'S A TYPE OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYED IN THE BARS.

IT'S CALLED FADO, WHICH MEANS "FATE" OR "DESTINY."

IT'S A VERY DRAMATIC AND SOULFUL KIND OF MUSIC, OFTEN SUNG BY A WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK, A MOURNFUL SONG ABOUT HER LOVER WHO'S GONE TO SEA AND HASN'T RETURNED.

THESE DAYS, THE QUEEN OF FADO IS MARIZA.

[ music playing and audience clapping in rhythm ] IN EUROPE, MARIZA IS A DIVA.

IN FACT, SHE MAY BE THE BIGGEST STAR YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF.

SHE'S PLAYED EVERYWHERE FROM LONDON'S ROYAL ALBERT HALL TO THIS MASSIVE OUTDOOR CONCERT IN LISBON.

[ speaks in Portuguese ] BORN IN MOZAMBIQUE, SHE'S PART OF A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG SINGERS WHO ARE REINVIGORATING THE TRADITIONAL FADO.

[ singing in Portuguese ] [ audience applauding ] OUR STORIES TONIGHT HAVE BEEN ABOUT MUSIC AND PRESIDENTS, MUSIC AND POLITICS, BUT FADO TRANSCENDS ALL OF THAT.

IT GOES RIGHT TO THE PORTUGUESE SOUL, AND THAT'S WHAT MARIZA SINGS FOR US TONIGHT, "MINAH'ALMA,"OR "MY SOUL."

[ playing "Minah'alma" ] [ singing in Portuguese ] Marco Werner: TO HEAR MORE MARIZA AND SEE MORE FROM ALL OUR STORIES, CHECK OUT THE SOUND TRACKS WEB SITE AT pbs.org.

[ Piers Faccine's "1,000 Miles" plays ] Captions by LNS Captioning Portland, Oregon www.LNScaptioning.com