Afrobeat musician Femi Kuti has described the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on his late father, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, as a significant victory for Africa and a symbol of global peace.
With the honour, Fela becomes the first African musician to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, a milestone widely seen as a defining moment for Afrobeat music on the global stage. The award was presented at the 2026 Grammy Special Merit Awards held in Los Angeles on Saturday night, ahead of the main Grammy ceremony.
Fela’s children—Femi, Yeni, and Kunle Kuti—received the award on behalf of the late Afrobeat pioneer. Speaking during the acceptance, Femi acknowledged the collective efforts that have sustained Afrobeat across generations.
“I would like to thank all the people carrying Afrobeat that are in this place tonight—DJs, the press, our label Partisan, our lawyers, and fans all over the world,” Femi said. “Thank you for bringing our father here. It’s so important for Africa. It’s so important for world peace and struggle.”
Also speaking, Yeni Kuti expressed appreciation to the Recording Academy for recognising their father’s contributions to music and culture. She said the family was deeply honoured by the recognition.
“I’m sure my father is smiling down on us,” she said. Yeni also acknowledged her siblings who were unable to attend the ceremony, including Motunrayo and Seun Kuti, as well as her nephew, Made Kuti, whom she described as taking Afrobeat to new heights.
Beyond his musical achievements, Fela was known for his fierce political activism. He consistently used his music as a tool to challenge social injustice, authoritarianism, and corruption in Nigeria, making him one of Africa’s most influential cultural and political voices.
Fela was honoured alongside other global music icons, including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher, and Paul Simon. In a statement, Recording Academy Chief Executive Officer Harvey Mason Jr. described the honourees as “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music.”
Although Fela did not win a Grammy during his lifetime, his impact has continued to receive international recognition. In 2025, his 1976 album Zombie was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Femi and Seun Kuti accepted that honour on behalf of their father, noting that his music continues to unite people across cultures.
In a social media statement at the time, Femi wrote that the family was honoured to accept the award, adding that Fela’s legacy remains alive through the power of his music.
Established in 1962, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recognises performers who made outstanding creative contributions of artistic significance to the recording industry. Bing Crosby was the first recipient in 1963.
According to the Recording Academy, Fela shaped modern Nigerian Afrobeats and influenced a wide range of global artists, including Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke. As the creator of Afrobeat, he composed, recorded, and performed more than 200 songs, leaving behind a musical legacy that continues through his family, the Kalakuta Museum, and the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
Fela’s influence remains deeply embedded in today’s Afrobeats movement, which dominates global music charts. Contemporary stars such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have sampled or referenced his work, acknowledging him as a foundational figure in African music.
Members of the Kuti family have collectively earned eight Grammy nominations. Femi Kuti accounts for six nominations across World Music and Global Music categories, Seun Kuti has received one nomination, while Made Kuti has also been nominated. Together, they continue to extend Fela’s musical and cultural legacy.
Renowned for blending traditional African rhythms with Ghanaian highlife, American funk, jazz, and soul, Fela’s sound gave birth to Afrobeat—the precursor to the modern Afrobeats genre. Decades after his death, his music remains widely sampled and referenced by leading artists across the world, underscoring his enduring influence on global music and African cultural identity.
Femi Kuti Hails Fela’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as Victory for Africa, Global Peace
