Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti has been honoured with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly three decades after his death, marking a historic milestone for African music.
The prestigious recognition was conferred on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, on the eve of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
With the honour, Fela becomes the first African artist to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which has been presented since 1963 to music legends including Bing Crosby.
The award recognises performers who have made outstanding artistic contributions to the recording field over their lifetimes.
Fela, who died in 1997 at the age of 58, was celebrated posthumously for his enduring cultural, political and musical impact.
Other recipients at the ceremony included Chaka Khan, Cher, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and Whitney Houston, who was also honoured posthumously.
The award was accepted on Fela’s behalf by his children, Femi Kuti, Yeni Kuti and Kunle Kuti, in the presence of family members, friends and prominent figures from the global music industry.
