Late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is set to be posthumously recognized with a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 67th Grammy Awards, distinguishing him as the first African musician to ever receive this prestigious accolade.
A Star-Studded List of Honorees
The Nigerian icon will be celebrated alongside other global music titans, including Whitney Houston, Paul Simon, Cher, and Chaka Khan.
Recording Academy Statement
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, released an official statement praising the selected honorees for their immense contribution to the arts.
He described them as:
“an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music”
The Architect of Afrobeat
In its recognition, the Academy formally identified Fela as the “architect of Afrobeat,” acknowledging his revolutionary impact on the genre and his lasting influence on subsequent generations of musicians.
This honor follows another recent milestone for the legend, as the Academy previously inducted his 1976 classic album, Zombie, into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame.