Vanessa Obioha
History was made last night when the Recording Academy, the body that organises the Grammy Awards, honoured music legends at the Special Merit Awards ceremony. Nigeria’s own music legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was among the honorees and is the first African to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys.
The award is coming nearly three decades after his passing. He joins a long list of recipients, including The Beatles, The Isley Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, Earth, Wind & Fire, Run-DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Donny Hathaway, and Isaac Hayes, among other music greats.
This 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, where the event was held as part of the 68th edition of the Grammy Awards.
Established in 1962, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 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.
The Academy credits Fela 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.
The road to 2026 was paved with significant milestones. In 2025, his seminal 1976 album, ‘Zombie,’ was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The seemingly searing critique of the Nigerian military was recognised for its lasting qualitative and historical significance. Fela’s eldest son, Femi, and brother Seun, accepted the induction on his behalf, noting that their father’s music continues to unite people across the world.
Fela’s DNA is embedded in the modern Afrobeats movement that currently dominates global charts. Contemporary superstars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have all sampled or referenced Fela’s work, viewing him as a foundational icon. His influence also transcends borders, inspiring global artists ranging from Beyoncé to Paul McCartney.
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 Kuti receiving six across the World Music and Global Music categories, Seun Kuti 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.
The Kuti legacy endures through his children, each shaping it in distinct ways. Led by Yeni, Femi, Kunle and Seun, they have preserved and expanded Fela’s vision for new generations. Yeni conceived Felabration, the annual festival celebrating his life and ideals; Femi and Yeni run the New Afrika Shrine, a vibrant hub for Afrobeat, debate and art; while Kunle manages the Kalakuta Museum, Fela’s former Ikeja home, now an archive and cultural landmark.
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