Nearly three decades after his death, Nigerian music legend Fela Kuti is finally being recognised by the Grammys, who will honour him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Afrobeat pioneer, who died in 1997 at the age of 58, will become the first African to receive the honour, which has been awarded since 1963.
Kuti’s family, along with friends and collaborators, will attend the ceremony to receive the award on his behalf. His son, musician Seun Kuti, said the recognition reflects the lasting impact of his father’s work.
“Fela has been in the hearts of the people for such a long time,” Seun Kuti told the BBC. “Now the Grammys have acknowledged it, and it’s a double victory.”
Rikki Stein, Kuti’s longtime manager, described the award as overdue.
“Africa hasn’t in the past rated very highly in their interests. I think that’s changing quite a bit of late,” Stein told the BBC, adding that the recognition was “better late than never”.
The award comes after the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category in 2024.
Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì, born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, released more than 50 albums, fusing jazz and funk with traditional Yoruba music and politically charged lyrics. He became one of the most influential cultural figures in modern African history, known for using music as a tool for political protest and resistance.
The 68th Grammy Awards take place on Sunday 31 January 2026. Comedian Trevor Noah will host the show for the sixth consecutive time. Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with nine in total – including record, song and album of the year – marking the third time he’s had simultaneous nominations in those big categories.
Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for the full breakdown of this year’s Grammys Award winners.
