Fela Kuti Becomes First African to Receive Posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
Legendary Nigerian musician and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti has made history as the first African artist to be honored with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was announced and presented during the 2026 Grammy Special Merit Awards held on January 31 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Grammy recognition celebrates Fela’s revolutionary creation of Afrobeat and his enduring influence on music, culture, and political activism worldwide. Known for his fearless fusion of jazz, funk, highlife, and Yoruba rhythms, Fela not only shaped a new genre but also used his music to challenge corruption, military rule, and social injustice in Nigeria.
Fela, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 58, had already seen a resurgence of global recognition with his 1977 album Zombie being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025. Today, his influence resonates across modern Afrobeats, inspiring artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, Davido, and many others.
During the ceremony, Fela’s children — Femi Kuti, Yeni Kuti, Kunle Kuti, and Shalewa Kuti — accepted the award on his behalf. Yeni Kuti emotionally remarked, “I’m sure my father is smiling down on us,” highlighting the personal and cultural significance of the honor.
The celebration extended beyond the family. Davido joined the Kutis at the Grammy Honors Party, posing with Femi Kuti in a widely shared moment symbolizing unity across generations of Nigerian music. Femi Kuti used the platform to call for reconciliation amid recent disputes in Nigeria’s music scene, urging fans and artists to focus on unity, national issues, and social progress.
Fellow Nigerian artist Olamide praised the recognition, describing it as a “fitting tribute” to the Afrobeat pioneer who laid the foundation for the global rise of African music. The announcement sparked widespread celebration across Nigeria and the diaspora, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joining the tributes, declaring, “Fela Lives.” Cultural analysts noted the symbolic weight of the honor — an anti-establishment rebel now formally celebrated by the global music establishment.
As the 68th Annual Grammy Awards season continues, Fela Kuti’s posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award marks a historic milestone for African music on the global stage. Nearly thirty years after his death, his music, message, and defiant spirit continue to inspire, echoing from the streets of Lagos to the heart of Los Angeles.
