Grammy Honours Fela Kuti With Lifetime Achievement Award

Afrobeat pioneer and Nigerian music icon, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has been selected for a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy, nearly three decades after his death.

According to a report by the BBC on Friday, the award will be presented at the upcoming Grammy Awards, making Fela the first African artist to receive the prestigious honour. The recognition celebrates his enduring influence on global music, culture, and political expression.

Reacting to the announcement, Fela’s son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the honour as a long-awaited acknowledgment of his father’s legacy.

“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 singer, Rikki Stein, also welcomed the development, describing it as overdue.
“Africa hasn’t in the past rated very highly in their interests. I think that’s changing quite a bit of late,” Stein said.

The BBC noted that the recognition comes amid growing global attention on African music, driven largely by the international rise of Afrobeats, a genre rooted in Fela’s pioneering work.

In 2024, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category, reflecting the genre’s expanding global footprint. Nigerian star Burna Boy also secured 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 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.

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 developed the genre by fusing West African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife, characterised by extended improvisations and politically charged lyrics.

During a career that spanned several decades until he died in 1997, Fela released over 50 albums and emerged as a relentless critic of authority, frequently clashing with Nigeria’s military governments through his music and activism.