Legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has made history by becoming the first African artist to receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly three decades after his death. The honour was confirmed ahead of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards and marks a major global recognition of the Afrobeat pioneer’s influence on music and culture.
Fela, who died in 1997 at the age of 58, is widely recognised as the creator of Afrobeat, a genre that blends West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, and his music often carried strong political and social messages. His work not only shaped music in Nigeria and across Africa but also influenced artists around the world.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award honours performers whose creative contributions have had lasting artistic significance in the field of recording. In announcing the honour, the Recording Academy highlighted Fela’s profound impact on music history and his role in shaping global music culture. Past recipients of this award include international icons like Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon.
Fela’s family is expected to attend the Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles, California, where they will accept the award on his behalf. His son, Seun Kuti, also an Afrobeat musician, has described the recognition as long overdue. Seun said that Fela had lived in the hearts of fans long before formal recognition arrived, and that the Grammy tribute brings welcome global attention back to his father’s legacy.
During his lifetime, Fela’s music was often controversial because of its outspoken critique of corruption and military rule in Nigeria. He famously declared his home, the Kalakuta Republic, independent from the state, and his songs became anthems of resistance. Those elements of his work have continued to resonate with listeners and musicians years after his passing.
This award comes at a time when African music is gaining unprecedented global attention, with Afrobeats and related genres becoming increasingly mainstream worldwide. Fela’s recognition with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is seen as both a tribute to his own groundbreaking career and a symbol of the growing influence of African music on the global stage.
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