- Fela Kuti will posthumously receive the Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award — the first African artist to be honoured.
- His family, including son Seun Kuti, will attend the Grammys to accept the award.
- The recognition follows Afrobeat’s global influence and the Grammys’ recent steps to spotlight African music.
- Fela’s music combined rhythm and protest across more than 50 albums and shaped modern artists worldwide.
Grammy honour for an Afrobeat pioneer
The Recording Academy has announced that Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti will receive a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Grammys. The move makes Fela the first artist from Africa to be given the award, a milestone celebrated by fans and family alike.
Family to accept; legacy acknowledged
Fela’s son, Seun Kuti, confirmed the family will attend the ceremony to accept the honour. “Fela has been in the hearts of the people for such a long time. Now the Grammys have acknowledged it, and it’s a double victory,” Seun told the BBC. Long-time manager Rikki Stein added the accolade is “better late than never.”
Why this recognition matters
The award arrives as global attention to African music grows. In 2024 the Grammys introduced Best African Performance, and contemporary stars like Burna Boy have been nominated in major categories. The recognition of Fela — often called the architect of Afrobeat — underscores the genre’s deep roots and worldwide influence.
Music, politics and the making of Afrobeat
Fela pioneered Afrobeat with drummer Tony Allen, blending West African rhythms, jazz, funk and politically sharp lyrics. Over a career spanning roughly three decades, he released more than 50 albums and built a body of work that fused music with ideology and protest.
Resistance and sacrifice
Fela’s confrontational songs provoked Nigeria’s military regimes. After releasing the album Zombie, which satirised government soldiers, his compound — the Kalakuta Republic — was raided and burned in 1977. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, later died from injuries sustained in the attack. Fela turned grief into protest, famously taking his mother’s coffin to government offices and releasing the song Coffin for Head of State.
Enduring influence
Fela’s visual style, stage presence at the Afrika Shrine and disciplined musical ensembles made him a cultural force. Designer Lemi Ghariokwu, who created many of his album covers, called the award a form of immortality. Modern artists — from Burna Boy to Kendrick Lamar and Idris Elba — cite Fela’s influence, and his sound helped shape the rise of Afrobeats globally.
Other Lifetime Achievement recipients
This year’s Lifetime Achievement list also includes Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and Paul Simon. But Fela’s recognition is seen as a landmark moment for African music on the world stage.
The award will bring Fela’s family, friends and collaborators to the Grammys to accept a long-awaited acknowledgement of his musical and political legacy.
Image Referance: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czx1207757xo