Fela Anikulapo-Kuti Becomes First African to Receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

The late Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is set to be posthumously honoured with a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 67th Grammy Awards, becoming the first African musician to receive the prestigious recognition, PulseNets learnt.

The Nigerian music icon will be celebrated alongside global music greats including Whitney Houston, Paul Simon, Cher, and Chaka Khan, further cementing his place among the most influential figures in modern music history.

In an official statement obtained by PulseNets, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. described the recipients as “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music.” The Academy noted that the honourees’ collective work continues to shape the sound and direction of contemporary music worldwide.

PulseNets reported that the Recording Academy formally recognised Fela as the “architect of Afrobeat,” acknowledging his pioneering role in creating the genre and his lasting impact on multiple generations of artists across Africa and beyond.

Also Read: Fela, King Sunny Ade, Others Inducted Into Afrobeats Hall Of Fame

The Academy had earlier inducted Fela’s critically acclaimed 1976 album, Zombie, into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame, a move widely seen as a precursor to the Lifetime Achievement honour, PulseNets learnt.