Fela Kuti Makes History as First African Honoured With Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award

Nearly three decades after his death, Nigerian music icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first African to be awarded a Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award — a moment widely seen as long-overdue global recognition of his immense influence.

Long celebrated by fans worldwide as the undisputed pioneer and king of Afrobeat, Fela will receive the honour posthumously at the upcoming Grammy Awards. He died in 1997 at the age of 58, but his music, message and cultural impact have only grown stronger with time.

The recognition has been warmly welcomed by those closest to the late artist. Rikki Stein, Fela’s long-time friend and manager, described the honour as “better late than never,” noting that African music had historically received limited attention from major Western institutions.

That shift has become increasingly visible in recent years. The global explosion of Afrobeats — a genre directly inspired by Fela’s groundbreaking fusion of jazz, funk, highlife and African rhythms — has reshaped international music charts and award platforms. In recognition of this momentum, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category in 2024.

This year, Nigerian superstar Burna Boy is also nominated in the Best Global Music Album category, further underlining Africa’s growing presence on the world’s biggest music stage.

Despite these advances, Fela’s honour remains uniquely significant. Since the Lifetime Achievement Award was first introduced in 1963, beginning with American singer and actor Bing Crosby, no African artist had previously received it. Fela now joins an illustrious list of this year’s honourees, which includes Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan — widely known as the Queen of Funk — and Paul Simon.

Members of Fela Kuti’s family, alongside friends and collaborators, are expected to attend the Grammy ceremony to accept the award on his behalf, celebrating a legacy that transcends borders and generations.