Afrobeats pioneer Fela Kuti has become the first African artist to receive a Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY.
This honor comes nearly 30 years after the Nigerian artist’s passing, finally acknowledging his groundbreaking contributions to the early development of Afrobeats, where he masterfully blended traditional West African music with jazz and American funk.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was first introduced by the GRAMMYs in 1963, marking this as the first occasion in its 63-year history that an African musician would be recognized in this category.
Rikki Stein, Fela Kuti’s long-time friend and manager, remarked that it’s “better late than never,” noting a shift in the global perception of African music. “Africa hasn’t historically been a major focus of interest, but that is changing significantly,” he told the BBC. “Fela wasn’t driven by the pursuit of awards; he was committed to liberation and freeing his mind.”
The posthumous award will be accepted by Fela Kuti’s family, friends, and collaborators at a ceremony in Los Angeles on January 31. His son, Seun Kuti, describes it as a “double victory.” “Fela has been cherished by the people for a long time,” he told the BBC. “The global cultural landscape needs this recognition, not just because he is my father.”
In 2024, the GRAMMYs introduced a new category for Best African Music Performance, which has been predominantly represented by Afrobeats artists since its inception, with both Burna Boy and Davido receiving three nominations each over the past three years.
Beyond his pioneering work in Afrobeats, Fela Kuti was also a political activist, releasing music for nearly four decades from the 1950s to the 1990s until his passing in 1997.
