Nearly 30 years after his death, legendary Nigerian musician and Afrobeat trailblazer Fela Anikulapo Kuti is set to receive one of the most prestigious recognitions in global music.
The Recording Academy has announced that Fela will be posthumously honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the upcoming Grammy Awards, making him the first African artiste to receive the distinction, according to a BBC report.
The award acknowledges Fela’s immense and enduring impact on music, culture and political consciousness across the world. As the creator of Afrobeat, his bold sound and radical ideals reshaped African music and inspired countless artistes globally.
Reacting to the news, Fela’s son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the recognition as deeply moving and long overdue.
“Fela has lived on in the hearts of the people for decades. Seeing the Grammys finally recognise that feels like a double win. It brings a sense of balance to his story,” he said.
Fela’s former manager and close associate, Rikki Stein, also welcomed the honour, noting that Africa had often been overlooked in global music awards but that the tide appears to be turning.
“Africa hasn’t always been high on their radar, but that seems to be changing now,” Stein remarked.
The BBC noted that the recognition comes amid a growing global embrace of African music, driven largely by the international success of Afrobeats, a genre rooted in Fela’s groundbreaking work. This shift was further reflected in the Grammys’ introduction of the Best African Performance category in 2024.
Relatives, friends and longtime collaborators of the late icon are expected to attend the Grammy ceremony to accept the award on his behalf, celebrating a legacy that fused music with activism and cultural pride.
Beyond his musical achievements, Fela was a fierce critic of corruption, military rule and social injustice in Nigeria. He consistently used his music as a weapon of resistance, a stance that frequently brought him into conflict with successive military governments.
That defiance reached a devastating peak in 1977 following the release of his protest song Zombie, when soldiers attacked and destroyed his Lagos commune, the Kalakuta Republic. The assault led to the death of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, who later died from injuries sustained during the raid.
Rather than retreat, Fela intensified his opposition, famously carrying his mother’s coffin to government offices and releasing Coffin for Head of State, transforming personal loss into a powerful political message.
Nearly three decades after his passing, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award stands as a historic tribute to Fela Anikulapo Kuti not only as a musical innovator, but as a fearless global symbol of resistance, justice and African identity.
