Fela Kuti To Recieve historic Grammy lifetime achievement award

By Charles Maduka

Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti has been given a major international honour many years after his death.

The BBC reported that the Recording Academy will posthumously present Fela with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards, making him the first African to receive the honour.

The award recognises Fela’s long-lasting influence on global music and culture.

Reacting to the recognition, his son and fellow Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, said Fela had always lived in the hearts of the people, adding that the Grammy recognition brings balance to his father’s story.

A former manager and close associate of the late musician, Rikki Stein, described the honour as long overdue, noting that African music had not always received enough attention globally but that this was now changing.

The BBC said the award comes at a time of growing worldwide interest in African music, driven largely by the global rise of Afrobeats, a genre rooted in Fela’s work.

The Grammys recently introduced the Best African Performance category, while Nigerian singer Burna Boy also received a nomination in the Best Global Music Album category.

Fela’s Lifetime Achievement Award places him among celebrated global music icons such as Bing Crosby, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and Paul Simon.

Members of Fela’s family, friends and associates are expected to attend the ceremony to receive the award on his behalf.

Seun Kuti said the recognition is important for the world, not only because Fela was his father, but because of what his work represents.

The BBC described Fela as more than a musician, calling him a cultural thinker, political activist and the creator of Afrobeat.

Alongside drummer Tony Allen, Fela developed Afrobeat by mixing West African rhythms with jazz, funk and highlife, known for long instrumental sections and strong political messages.

During his career until his death in 1997, Fela released more than 50 albums and became a strong critic of authority, often clashing with Nigeria’s military governments through his music and activism.