More than three decades after his death, Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician widely regarded as the father of Afrobeat, has become the first African artist to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
Kuti was honored posthumously Saturday at a ceremony held in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards. The award recognizes performers whose lifetime contributions have had outstanding artistic significance in the recording field.
His children, Yeni, Femi, Kunle and Shalewa Kuti, accepted the award on his behalf.
“I want to thank the Grammys for this wonderful award. I’m sure my father is smiling down on us,” Yeni Kuti said during the acceptance speech, acknowledging other family members who were unable to attend.
Femi Kuti thanked supporters of the genre, including DJs, journalists, the band’s label and fans worldwide. “Thank you for bringing our father here,” he said. “It’s so important for Africa.
It’s so important for world peace and struggle.”Kuti was honored alongside other late music icons including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon.
In a statement, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. described this year’s recipients as “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres and the very foundation of modern music.”
Speaking during a celebration following the ceremony, Femi Kuti reflected on his father’s unconventional approach to parenting and activism.“The older I get, I see that he wasn’t the conventional father. He was everybody’s father,” he said, adding that Kuti’s public persona often masked the risks he faced as an outspoken critic of Nigerian authorities.
Although Kuti never won a Grammy during his lifetime, his work has received several posthumous recognitions. His 1976 album Zombie was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025.
The honor was accepted by his sons Femi and Seun Kuti.“Our father’s legacy lives on,” Femi Kuti wrote on social media at the time. “His music continues to inspire and unite people across the world.”Born Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the multi-instrumentalist and activist fused Ghanaian highlife with American funk, jazz and soul to create Afrobeat, a politically charged sound that influenced generations of musicians. His lyrics often criticized corruption, military rule and social injustice in Nigeria.
His impact extends far beyond his era. Artists including Beyoncé, Burna Boy, Wizkid and Kelly Rowland have cited or sampled his work, while Afrobeat’s rhythms continue to shape contemporary African and global pop music.
The Recording Academy said the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to performers who have made “creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance” over the course of their careers.
For many fans and musicians, Saturday’s recognition formalizes what has long been accepted across the continent and beyond: Fela Kuti’s influence on modern music is both foundational and enduring.