Late Afrobeat pioneer and political activist, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has been named the first African recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly three decades after his death.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Friday that the Recording Academy will posthumously confer the prestigious honour on the Nigerian music icon at the upcoming Grammy Awards ceremony, in recognition of his enduring influence on global music and culture.
Reacting to the announcement, Fela’s son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the recognition as both symbolic and historic. “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,” he said.
A former manager and long-time associate of the late musician, Rikki Stein, also welcomed the honour, describing it as long overdue. “Africa hasn’t in the past rated very highly in their interests. I think that’s changing quite a bit of late,” he said.
The BBC noted that the award comes at a time of growing global interest in African music, fuelled largely by the international rise of Afrobeats — a genre rooted in Fela’s pioneering work. In 2024, the Grammy Awards introduced the Best African Performance category, while Nigerian star Burna Boy received a nomination this year in the Best Global Music Album category.
Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him among some of the most influential figures in global music history. Previous 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 long-time 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 added.
Widely regarded as more than a musician, Fela was a cultural philosopher, political agitator and the creator of Afrobeat. Alongside drummer Tony Allen, he developed the genre by fusing West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, characterised by extended improvisation and socially charged, confrontational lyrics.
Over a career that spanned several decades until his death in 1997, Fela released more than 50 albums and emerged as one of Africa’s most outspoken critics of political oppression, frequently clashing with Nigeria’s military regimes through his music and activism.
