Afrobeat pioneer and global music icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti will be posthumously honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Special Merit Awards Ceremony, set for January 31, 2026. The prestigious award recognizes artists whose creative contributions have had a profound and lasting influence on music history.
Born in 1938 in Abeokuta, Nigeria, Fela Kuti was a multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, and fearless cultural revolutionary. He created Afrobeat, a genre that blends traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife, using music as a platform for political expression and social critique. Through his electrifying performances and outspoken lyrics, Fela challenged military rule, corruption, and social injustice in Nigeria, becoming one of Africa’s most influential and controversial artists.
Fela’s impact extends far beyond his lifetime, with his music continuing to inspire contemporary artists worldwide and Afrobeat shaping modern global sounds. His legacy remains firmly rooted in both music and activism.
He will be honored alongside an esteemed group of music legends, including Whitney Houston, Paul Simon, Cher, Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan, Sylvia Rhone, Eddie Palmieri, John Chowning, and Bernie Taupin, further cementing his place among the most influential figures in music history.
