Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela, is set to make history as the first African artist to receive a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award almost 29 years after the musician died.
The “King of Afrobeat” will be honoured at the 2026 Grammy Awards, marking a symbolic reconciliation between Fela’s revolutionary music and the global music establishment he fiercely criticised during his lifetime, according to Recording Academy.
According to Channels television, the award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, a day before the main 68th Grammy Awards ceremony.
Fela’s son, Seun Kuti, who currently leads the iconic Egypt 80 band, described the honour as a victory not only for Afrobeat but also for politically conscious music. However, he disclosed that he would be unable to attend the ceremony in person due to travel restrictions.
“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”.
The award will be formally received by Fela’s children, Yeni, Femi, Kunle Kuti, who have continued to preserve and promote his legacy through the New Afrika Shrine and other cultural platforms linked to the former Kalakuta Republic.
Announcing the award, the Recording Academy cited his “inestimable contributions” to global music and acknowledged that his sound and ideology laid the foundation for the modern Afrobeats movement currently dominating international charts.
Fela joins a iconic list of 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, including Whitney Houston, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon.
The honour has been met with widespread celebration across Nigeria and the international music community, with fans and artists alike hailing the recognition as long overdue for one of Africa’s most influential cultural figures.
The feat follows the 2025 induction of Fela’s 1976 album Zombie into the Grammy Hall of Fame, further cementing his enduring influence.
As Grammy weekend approaches, a special live band tribute is also scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in honour of Fela’s radical spirit, political courage and timeless extravaganza.
