Fela Kuti Becomes First African Artist To Receive Posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

The Recording Academy has revealed that the “King of Afrobeat” will be recognized at the 2026 Grammy Awards, representing a significant moment of reconciliation between Fela’s groundbreaking music and the international music industry he openly challenged throughout his career.

The honour will be conferred at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony scheduled for Saturday, January 31, at Los Angeles’ Wilshire Ebell Theatre, one day prior to the 68th Grammy Awards main event.

The news has sparked widespread celebration throughout Nigeria and among the global music community, with supporters and musicians acknowledging that this recognition is well-deserved for one of Africa’s most impactful cultural icons.

The Recording Academy said, “Fela’s influence and catalog of music have been widely celebrated and explored, including the podcast series Fela Kuti: Fear No Man (the New Yorker’s No. 1 Podcast of 2025) and the Tony Award-winning Broadway run of Fela! The Musical from 2008 to 2010. Fela’s influence spans generations, inspiring artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney and Thom Yorke, and shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats.

“A titanic sociopolitical voice, Afrobeat’s revolutionary politics brought Fela into violent conflict with successive Nigerian military regimes, which made many attempts to suppress him and once sent in the army to burn down his communal home, Kalakuta Republic.”

Seun Kuti, Fela’s son who now leads the legendary Egypt 80 band, characterized the award as a triumph not just for Afrobeat, but for all socially conscious music.

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He revealed, however, that he will be absent from the ceremony due to travel limitations.

“We are all proud as a family,” Seun said. “It is just a shame that I can’t be there physically to join my family to accept the honour because of travel restrictions.

“Trump has banned me because of talks of Christian genocide. Nevertheless, the family is proud. It’s a good day for African music, Afrobeat culture, and resistance music.”

Fela’s children—Yeni, Femi, and Kunle Kuti—will officially accept the award on his behalf. They have dedicated themselves to maintaining and advancing their father’s legacy through venues like the New Afrika Shrine and other cultural initiatives connected to the former Kalakuta Republic.

Recently, Seun Kuti has been making headlines due to a public disagreement with Nigerian artist Wizkid concerning discussions about musical excellence and heritage.

Despite this, he took the opportunity to call for solidarity within the music industry instead of competition.

“The term ‘greatest’ has a lot to do with comparison,” Seun explained.

“My point has always been: don’t compare. Our artists and culture should breed cooperation, not pitch people against each other.

“Fela is great, and that is the truth. What we must question is the mindset of those who feel they are not great unless they are compared to others.”

Fela, who passed away in 1997 at 58 years old, is receiving this recognition for developing Afrobeat—a musical style that combined West African highlife, jazz, funk, and traditional rhythms—while utilizing his art as a tool to combat military authoritarianism, corruption, and social inequality.

When announcing the accolade, the Recording Academy highlighted his “inestimable contributions” to world music and recognized that his artistic vision and philosophy established the groundwork for today’s Afrobeats genre, which currently enjoys global popularity.

Among the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees, Fela will be celebrated alongside Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher, and Paul Simon.

This recognition comes after his 1976 album Zombie was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025, further solidifying his lasting impact on music.

As Grammy weekend draws near, a special live band performance is also planned in Los Angeles to honour Fela’s revolutionary spirit, political bravery, and enduring musical legacy.