Nearly three decades after his passing, the legendary composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, continues to redefine global music from beyond the grave.
In 2026, the musician cum activist reached a historic milestone as the first African musician to be honoured with the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He joins a long list of recipients of the prestigious award, including The Beatles, Isley Brothers, Louvin Brothers, Earth Wind and Fire, Run DMC, Salt n Pepa, Donny Hathaway, and Isaac Hayes among other music greats.
The posthumous recognition by the Recording Academy cements Fela’s status as a global cultural architect from Nigeria, whose influence on music and political consciousness remains unmatched. Fela’s award was received by his children— Yeni, Femi and Kunle— in Los Angeles, California, United States of America on January 31, 2026, at the 68th edition of the Grammy Awards.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 1962, honours performers with outstanding creative contributions to recording, and who, during their lifetimes, made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording. The first recipient of the award was Bing Crosby in 1963.
For Fela, the Academy credits him with shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats, influencing global artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney and Thom Yorke, and leaving a legacy that lives on through his family, the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine. As the creator of Afrobeat, he composed, recorded and performed over 200 songs.
In 2025, his seminal 1976 album, Zombie, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The searing critique of the Nigerian military was recognised for its lasting qualitative and historical significance. Fela’s sons— Femi and Seun— accepted the induction on his behalf, noting that their father’s music continues to unite people across the world.
Also, his sons and grandson have earned multiple Grammy nominations. Between the sons and grandson, the Kuti family has a total of eight Grammy nominations with Femi receiving six across the World Music and Global Music categories, Seun receiving one nomination in the Best World Music Album category, and Made Kuti receiving a nomination.
Born on October 15, 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Fela was more than a musician; he was a movement. After studying at London’s Trinity College of Music— now known as Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance— he pioneered Afrobeat, a hypnotic fusion of traditional Nigerian rhythms, highlife, jazz, funk, and soul.
Fela used his music as a weapon of the future to challenge military corruption, neo-colonialism, and social injustice. His commune, the Kalakuta Republic, and his legendary nightclub, the Afrika Shrine, served as sanctuaries. Despite brutal persecution, including the infamous 1977 raid that led to the death of his activist mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Fela never wavered in his commitment to Pan-Africanism and the truth. His mother, a Pan African, was a major influence in Fela’s life until her death.
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