Fela Kuti Becomes First African Musician Honored With Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

The late Afrobeat pioneer and political activist is recognized decades after his death for reshaping global music and using sound as a tool of resistance.

Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician whose sound and politics reshaped modern African music, has been named the first African artist to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Recording Academy announced Dec. 19.

As reported by NPR, the posthumous honor places Kuti among an elite group of artists — including The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, Bob Marley, and Jimi Hendrix — recognized for “creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.” Kuti, who died in 1997, was never nominated for a Grammy during his lifetime.

Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour praised the decision, calling Kuti’s work transformative. “Fela Kuti’s music was a fearless voice of Africa — its rhythms carried truth, resistance and freedom,” N’Dour said. “It inspired generations of African musicians to speak boldly through sound.”

Often referred to as the “Black President,” Kuti was both a cultural icon and a political force. He pioneered Afrobeat, a genre defined by layered rhythms, extended compositions, horn-driven arrangements, and vocal chants. His performances were famously large, sometimes featuring more than 30 musicians and dancers, along with dual bass guitars and baritone saxophones. Kuti himself played multiple instruments, including saxophone, keyboards, guitar, and drums.

Rejecting industry conventions, Kuti avoided love songs and commercial party music, released multiple albums in a single year, and refused to perform recorded songs live. His tracks frequently stretched well beyond traditional song lengths, with some lasting more than 40 minutes.

During a stay in Los Angeles in 1969, Kuti connected with members of the Black Panther Party, a turning point that pushed his music into openly political territory. He became a vocal critic of Nigeria’s military governments and apartheid in South Africa, placing himself in direct conflict with authorities.

That activism came at a steep cost. After the release of his 1976 album, “Zombie,” which condemned Nigeria’s military rule, government forces raided his Lagos compound. According to reports at the time, the property was burned, Kuti was severely beaten, and his mother, activist Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, later died from injuries sustained during the attack.
Despite repeated arrests and imprisonment, Kuti remained defiant.

Amnesty International later designated him a “prisoner of conscience.” He was released after the military regime was overthrown in 1985.

Kuti died from AIDS-related complications in 1997, a revelation that helped spark broader public awareness about the disease in Nigeria. More than one million people reportedly attended his funeral.

His influence has only grown since. His album “Zombie” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year, and his life inspired the Broadway musical “Fela!,” produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith.

For many artists, Kuti’s legacy remains foundational. Malian singer Salif Keita said, “Brother Fela was a great influence for my music… His legacy is undisputed.”