Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti is set to receive a major global honour nearly three decades after his death.
The BBC reported on Friday that the Recording Academy will posthumously confer a Lifetime Achievement Award on the Nigerian music icon at the Grammy Awards, making him the first African artist to receive the accolade.
The award recognises Fela’s enduring influence on global music and culture, according to the BBC.
Reacting to the news, his son and Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, said: “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. It’s bringing balance to a Fela story.”
Rikki Stein, a former manager and long-time associate of the late singer, described the honour as long overdue. “Africa hasn’t always been given the recognition it deserves, but I think that’s changing,” Stein said.
The BBC noted that the recognition comes amid growing global interest in African music, largely driven by the international success of Afrobeats, a genre rooted in Fela’s work. In 2024, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category, while Nigerian singer Burna Boy earned a nomination this year in the Best Global Music Album category.
Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him among global music legends. Past recipients include Bing Crosby, while this year’s honourees also feature Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, and Paul Simon. Members of Fela’s family, friends, and associates are expected to attend the ceremony to receive the award on his behalf.
“The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father,” Seun Kuti said.
Fela is remembered not only as a musician but also as a cultural thinker, political agitator, and the creator of Afrobeat. Together with drummer Tony Allen, he developed the genre by blending West African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife, creating music marked by extended improvisation and politically charged lyrics.
Over a career that lasted until his death in 1997, Fela released over 50 albums and became a fierce critic of authority, repeatedly clashing with Nigerian military governments through both his music and activism.
