Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been honoured with a major global recognition nearly 30 years after his death, as the Recording Academy moves to bestow a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award on the Nigerian music legend.
The BBC reported on Friday that the award will be presented at the upcoming Grammy Awards, making Fela the first African artiste to receive the prestigious honour. The recognition celebrates his enduring influence on global music, culture and political expression.
Reacting to the development, Fela’s son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, described the award as a long-awaited acknowledgment of his father’s legacy.
“Fela has lived in the hearts of the people for a very long time. Now that the Grammys have recognised it, it feels like a double victory. It brings balance to the Fela story,” he said.
A former manager and close associate of the late singer, Rikki Stein, also welcomed the honour, noting that African contributions to global music had often been overlooked in the past.
“Africa hasn’t traditionally ranked very highly in their interests, but I think that’s changing now,” Stein said.
According to the BBC, Fela’s recognition comes at a time of growing global attention on African music, fuelled by the international rise of Afrobeats — a genre deeply rooted in the foundation laid by Fela’s Afrobeat sound.
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, further underscoring Africa’s expanding presence on the world stage.
Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him alongside legendary figures in global music history. Previous recipients include Bing Crosby, while this year’s honourees also include Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and Paul Simon.
Family members, friends and associates of the late musician are expected to attend the ceremony to accept the award on his behalf.
“The global human tapestry needs this recognition — not just because he’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 architect of Afrobeat. Alongside drummer Tony Allen, he fused West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife to create a sound defined by long improvisations and politically charged messages.
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 oppression, frequently clashing with Nigeria’s military regimes through his music and activism.
