Nigeria’s cultural legacy will take centre stage at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the Recording Academy’s highest honours.The late musician and activist will be recognised alongside an eminent group of global artists, including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon. The award will be presented at the Special Merit Awards Ceremony, held on the eve of Grammy Sunday.
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In announcing the honourees, Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive of the Recording Academy, described them as “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music.”
Although Fela did not receive a Grammy during his lifetime, his impact has been increasingly acknowledged in recent years. His landmark 1976 album Zombie was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025, reinforcing his place among the most influential recording artists of the 20th century.Born in Nigeria, Fela transformed African and global music by fusing traditional rhythms and highlife with jazz, funk and soul, giving rise to Afrobeat — a genre that became both a musical movement and a vehicle for political expression. His work challenged authoritarianism, corruption and injustice, positioning music as a tool of resistance and social consciousness.
Decades after his death, Fela’s influence continues to shape contemporary global music. Artists such as Beyoncé, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Kelly Rowland have drawn inspiration from his sound, while Afrobeat’s modern descendants have propelled Nigerian music onto the world’s biggest stages.
Beyond music, Fela’s legacy endures across fashion, literature, visual art and political thought. Recent exhibitions in Nigeria, including Afrobeat Rebellion, have revisited his role not only as an innovative artist but as a powerful voice for Black liberation and African self-determination.
The Lifetime Achievement Award, granted by the Recording Academy’s National Trustees, honours performers whose creative contributions have had “outstanding artistic significance” over the course of their lives. For Nigeria, the recognition represents a global affirmation of Fela Kuti’s enduring role in shaping modern music and cultural discourse.
