Afrobeat trailblazer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been awarded a major international honour almost three decades after his passing.
The BBC reported on Friday that the Recording Academy will posthumously bestow a Lifetime Achievement Award on the Nigerian music legend at the Grammy Awards, making him the first African to receive the honour.
The award acknowledges Fela’s enduring influence on global music and culture, according to the BBC
Responding to the recognition, his son and Afrobeat artist, Seun Kuti, said, “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.”
A former manager and long-time associate of the late musician, Rikki Stein, said the recognition was long 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 honour comes at a time of growing global interest in African music, largely fuelled by the international rise 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 iconic figures in global music. 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 be present at the ceremony to accept the award on his behalf.
“The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father,” Seun Kuti said.
The BBC portrayed Fela as more than a musician, describing him as a cultural thinker, political agitator and the creator of Afrobeat.
Alongside drummer Tony Allen, he shaped the genre by combining West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, characterised by extended improvisation and politically charged lyrics.
Over a career that lasted until his death in 1997, Fela released more than 50 albums and emerged as a fierce critic of authority, frequently clashing with Nigerian military governments through his music and activism.
