Legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti is set to receive a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards, nearly three decades after his death, marking a historic first for an African musician, according to the BBC.
Widely regarded as the architect of Afrobeat, Fela’s recognition comes amid growing global acknowledgement of African music, following the worldwide success of Afrobeats and the Grammys’ introduction of the Best African Performance category in 2024.
Reacting to the honour, his son and Afrobeat musician 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.”
Long-time friend and former manager Rikki Stein also welcomed the recognition, describing it as “better late than never”, while noting that Africa had historically been marginalised in global music award considerations.
Members of Fela’s family, friends and colleagues are expected to attend the Grammy ceremony to receive the award on his behalf, to celebrate his legacy that fused music with political resistance and cultural assertion.
Beyond music, Fela was a fierce critic of social injustice, corruption and military rule in Nigeria, using his art as a weapon against oppression, a stance that frequently put him at odds with successive military governments.
His activism reached a flashpoint in 1977 after the release of Zombie, when soldiers raided and burnt his Lagos commune, Kalakuta Republic, an attack that led to the death of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, following injuries she sustained.
Rather than retreat, Fela responded with renewed defiance, famously carrying his mother’s coffin to government offices and releasing Coffin for Head of State, transforming personal loss into political protest.