Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti has been honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly three decades after his death, marking a historic milestone for African music.

The prestigious recognition was conferred on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, on the eve of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

With the honour, Fela becomes the first African artist to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which has been presented since 1963 to music legends including Bing Crosby.

The award recognises performers who have made outstanding artistic contributions to the recording field over their lifetimes.

Fela, who died in 1997 at the age of 58, was celebrated posthumously for his enduring cultural, political and musical impact.

Other recipients at the ceremony included Chaka Khan, Cher, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and Whitney Houston, who was also honoured posthumously.

The award was accepted on Fela’s behalf by his children, Femi Kuti, Yeni Kuti and Kunle Kuti, in the presence of family members, friends and prominent figures from the global music industry.

During the presentation, Fela was described as a “producer, arranger, political radical, outlaw and the father of Afrobeat.”

Femi Kuti performs at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos, on April 6, 2025. (Photo by FAWAZ OYEDEJI / AFP)

In his acceptance speech, Femi said, “Thank you for bringing our father here. It’s so important for us, it’s so important for Africa, it’s so important for world peace and the struggle.”

Yeni expressed the family’s excitement at the recognition, noting that Fela was never nominated for a Grammy during his lifetime.

“The family is happy about it. And we’re excited that he’s finally being recognised,” she said, adding that while the honour was “better late than never”, there remained “a way to go” in fully acknowledging African artists globally.

Seun Kuti also welcomed the recognition, describing it as a “symbolic moment.”

“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. The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father.”

Fela’s cousin and head of the Kuti family, Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, reflected on how the musician might have responded to the honour.

Footage from the ceremony showed a large screen bearing Fela’s image alongside a summary of his legacy, including his expansive music catalogue, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical inspired by his life, and global cultural projects celebrating his work.

The presenter stated, “The honour is all ours to present the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Fela Kuti.”

Born Olufela Ransome-Kuti in 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Fela was the son of an Anglican minister and renowned anti-colonial activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

He travelled to London in 1958 to study medicine but later switched to music at Trinity College, where his artistic journey took shape.

In the 1960s, Fela pioneered Afrobeat alongside drummer Tony Allen, blending West African rhythms, Yoruba music, Ghanaian highlife, jazz, funk and soul, characterised by extended improvisation and politically charged lyrics.

Over three decades, he released more than 50 albums with bands including Africa 70 and Egypt 80, performing regularly at the iconic Afrika Shrine in Lagos.

His music strongly criticised military rule, corruption, social injustice and imperialism, while promoting pan-Africanism and African-centred socialism.

His 1977 album Zombie faulted military authoritarianism and triggered a brutal raid on his Kalakuta Republic commune, during which his mother sustained injuries that later led to her death.

Despite repeated arrests and imprisonment, which saw Amnesty International designate him a prisoner of conscience, Fela remained defiant.

His funeral in Lagos reportedly drew more than one million mourners, underscoring his influence beyond music.

Fela’s legacy continues to resonate globally, inspiring artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, Thom Yorke, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Kendrick Lamar, Kelly Rowland and Idris Elba.

His influence is also evident in modern Afrobeats and in cultural projects celebrating African musical identity.

The Lifetime Achievement Award follows the 2025 induction of Fela’s 1977 album Zombie into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

It also comes amid growing recognition of African music by the Recording Academy, including the introduction of the Best African Music Performance category in 2024.
By Nosakhale Akhimien
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