Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been named a recipient of a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African to receive the honour.
Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has received a major global honour nearly three decades after his death, with the Recording Academy set to confer a Lifetime Achievement Award on the Nigerian music icon at the Grammy Awards. The BBC reported on Friday that the recognition makes Fela the first African to receive the prestigious honour, citing his enduring impact on global music and culture.
Reacting to the announcement, Fela’s son and Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the award as long overdue. “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, saying, “Africa hasn’t in the past rated very highly in their interests. I think that’s changing quite a bit of late.”
The BBC noted that the honour comes amid rising global interest in African music, driven largely by the international success of Afrobeats, a genre rooted in Fela’s work. In 2024, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category, while Nigerian singer Burna Boy earned a nomination this year in the Best Global Music Album category. Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him among global legends such as Bing Crosby, with this year’s honourees also including 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.
Afrobeat legacy
The BBC described Fela as more than a musician, portraying him as a cultural thinker, political agitator and the creator of Afrobeat. With drummer Tony Allen, he developed the genre by blending West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, marked by extended improvisation and politically charged lyrics. During a career that lasted until his death in 1997, Fela released more than 50 albums and became a fierce critic of authority, repeatedly clashing with Nigerian military governments through his music and activism. “The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father,” Seun Kuti said.