Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti is set to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, nearly 30 years after his death. He will be the first African musician to earn the honour.
Fela died in 1997 at the age of 58, but his music and influence remain strong. His son, Seun Kuti, told the BBC:
“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.”
Longtime friend and manager Rikki Stein called the recognition overdue.
“Africa hasn’t in the past rated very highly in their interests. I think that’s changing quite a bit of late,” he said. “Better late than never.”
The award comes amid growing global interest in African music, driven by the success of Afrobeats, a genre inspired by Fela’s Afrobeat. In 2024, the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category. Nigerian star Burna Boy is also nominated this year in the Best Global Music Album category.
Fela’s family and collaborators will attend the ceremony to accept the award. Seun Kuti added:
“The global human tapestry needs this, not just because it’s my father.”
Fela was more than a musician. Alongside drummer Tony Allen, he created Afrobeat, mixing West African rhythms, jazz, funk, highlife, and politically charged lyrics.
Over a 30-year career, he released more than 50 albums and often clashed with Nigeria’s military governments. In 1977, after releasing Zombie, his Lagos compound, Kalakuta Republic, was raided and burned. Residents were attacked, and his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, later died from injuries.
Fela turned grief into protest, carrying his mother’s coffin to government offices and releasing the song Coffin for Head of State. Stein said:
“He wasn’t doing what he was doing to win awards. He was interested in liberation. Freeing the mind. He was fearless. He was determined.”
Born Olufela Olusegun Oludoton Ransome-Kuti, he dropped “Ransome” due to its Western roots. Fela’s image, shaped with Lemi Ghariokwu, and his performances at Lagos’ Afrika Shrine remain legendary.
His music still inspires artists worldwide, including Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, and Sir Idris Elba, who curated an official Fela vinyl box set.
In recent months, Seun Kuti publicly clashed with fellow Nigerian star Wizkid over comparisons to his father. Seun warned Wizkid to stop fans from likening him to Fela. Wizkid, a one-time Grammy winner and multi-Grammy nominee, responded by saying he was “bigger than Fela,” fueling a heated debate in the African music scene.
Fela Kuti’s Grammy recognition cements his global legacy and highlights the growing impact of African music.