Legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has received one of the highest honours in global music, nearly three decades after his death.
The Recording Academy has announced that the Nigerian icon will be posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards, making him the first African to receive the prestigious recognition.
According to a report by the BBC, the award celebrates Fela’s enduring influence on global music, culture and political expression, cementing his status as one of the most impactful artists in history.
Reacting to the honour, Fela’s son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the recognition as deeply symbolic.
“Fela has lived in the hearts of the people for such a long time,” Seun said. “Now the Grammys have acknowledged it, and that makes it a double victory. It brings balance to the Fela story.”
A former manager and long-time associate of the late singer, Rikki Stein, also welcomed the decision, saying the honour was long overdue.
“For a long time, Africa wasn’t highly rated in their interests,” Stein said. “But that is changing, and this recognition reflects that shift.”
The BBC noted that Fela’s recognition comes at a time of growing global appreciation for African music, driven largely by the worldwide success of Afrobeats, a genre deeply rooted in the foundations laid by Fela’s Afrobeat movement.
In recent years, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category, while Nigerian superstar Burna Boy earned a nomination this year in the Best Global Music Album category.
Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him alongside some of the world’s most celebrated 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 close associates are expected to receive the award on his behalf at the ceremony.
“The global human tapestry needs this,” Seun Kuti added. “And not just because he is my father.”
The BBC described Fela as far more than a musician, portraying him as a cultural philosopher, political activist and the creator of Afrobeat. Alongside drummer Tony Allen, he fused West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, producing a sound defined by extended improvisations and socially conscious, politically charged lyrics.
Over a career that lasted until his death in 1997, Fela released more than 50 albums and became a fearless critic of authority, repeatedly clashing with Nigeria’s military governments through his music and activism.
Advertisement
