Fela Kuti to receive Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award nearly 30 years after his death

Legendary Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is set to make history as the first African artist to receive a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Recording Academy announced that the late King of Afrobeat will be honoured at the 2026 Grammy Awards, nearly three decades after his death, according to reports by Channels Television.

The recognition is especially symbolic, given Fela’s lifetime stance against Western power structures, political oppression, and the global music establishment — institutions he openly criticised through both his music and activism.

Despite never winning a Grammy while alive, Fela’s influence has remained undeniable, shaping generations of artists across Africa and beyond, and laying the foundation for what is now a globally celebrated Afrobeat movement.

The award will be presented during the Special Merit Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 31, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, one day before the main 68th Grammy Awards ceremony.

For many fans and music historians, the honour is seen as a long-overdue recognition of Fela’s cultural impact, musical innovation, and fearless voice that continues to resonate worldwide.