Legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was posthumously honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Los Angeles, United States.
The prestigious honour was presented during the 2026 Grammy Special Merit Awards ceremony held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
The ceremony took place one day ahead of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, which was held on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
With the recognition, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti became the first African artist in history to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award is conferred by the Recording Academy to artistes who have made outstanding and enduring contributions to the field of recording.
Fela’s honour came nearly three decades after his death in August 1997.
The Afrobeat icon was represented at the ceremony by members of his family, including his children.
His daughter, Yeni Kuti, delivered remarks on behalf of the family and expressed gratitude to the Recording Academy for recognising her father’s legacy.
She described the moment as historic and said the family believed Fela would have been proud of the global recognition.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is widely regarded as the creator and pioneer of Afrobeat, a genre that fuses Yoruba rhythms, jazz, funk and highlife with politically conscious lyrics.
Through his music, Fela consistently challenged corruption, military rule and social injustice in Nigeria, often at great personal cost.
Despite his global influence and extensive catalogue of work, Fela was never nominated for a Grammy Award during his lifetime.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award acknowledged his lasting impact on world music and his role in shaping African music’s global identity.
The honour also reflected the growing recognition of African music on the global stage, following the Recording Academy’s recent expansion of African-focused categories.
Fela’s influence continues through generations of musicians, including his sons Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti, and numerous contemporary African and international artistes.
The recognition marked a defining moment not only for Fela’s legacy but also for African music history.
The Recording Academy’s decision positioned Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as a cultural force whose impact transcends time, borders and genres.