A long-overdue global recognition
The Recording Academy has posthumously awarded Fela Anikulapo Kuti the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, making him the first African artist to receive the honour.
The award celebrates artists whose creative contributions have had a lasting impact on the recording field, acknowledging Fela’s role in reshaping global music culture.
Why Fela’s sound outlived its moment
Fela’s Afrobeat fused jazz, highlife, funk, and traditional rhythms into a powerful musical language that transcended entertainment. His music became a vehicle for social commentary, confronting military rule, corruption, and injustice in Nigeria and beyond.
Decades later, his sound continues to influence artists across continents.
From Kalakuta to the world stage
Though rooted in Lagos, Fela’s music travelled far beyond Nigeria, shaping global perceptions of African music. International artists have cited his work as foundational, while Afrobeat has evolved into a dominant global genre with multiple contemporary offshoots.
The Grammy recognition reflects this enduring reach.
Why the honour resonates beyond music
For many Africans, the award represents delayed validation of cultural contributions long overlooked by global institutions. It underscores a growing recognition of African artistry not as peripheral, but as central to global creative history.
Cultural historians say the honour also reopens conversations about how political art is preserved and rewarded.
What this moment leaves behind
Fela’s legacy now sits firmly within the highest tier of global music history. As Afrobeat continues to shape new generations, the Grammy honour affirms that African voices—once marginalised—are rewriting the canon on their own terms.
IDNN Culture Desk
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