Legendary Nigerian musician Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will be posthumously recognised at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where he is set to receive a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award for his enduring contribution to global music and culture.
Okay News reports that the Recording Academy announced the honour as part of its Special Merit Awards lineup, describing Fela as the creative force who laid the foundation for Afrobeat, a genre that continues to shape modern music across continents.
In its official citation, the Academy acknowledged his groundbreaking role, stating: “An architect of Afrobeat, honoured for a lifetime of influence. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, producer, arranger, political radical, activist, and the father of Afrobeat. In the 1960s, he created the genre by combining funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and a blend of traditional Nigerian rhythms.”
The recognition places Fela among a distinguished group of past recipients that includes Whitney Houston, Cher, and Paul Simon, reinforcing his status as one of the most influential figures in music history.
Fela’s experimental sound, developed during the 1960s and 1970s, fused African rhythms with global influences while serving as a vehicle for political expression and social critique. Decades after his passing, his work continues to resonate with artists and audiences worldwide, shaping contemporary Afrobeats and alternative music movements.
The Recording Academy further noted the breadth of his influence, adding: “His influence spans generations, shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats and inspiring global artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke. His legacy continues to live on not only through music, but through his family and through the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine.”
Beyond recordings and performances, Fela’s cultural impact remains visible through institutions that preserve his philosophy and sound, including the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos, which continue to attract visitors from around the world.
The Special Merit Awards ceremony will take place on January 31, 2026, during Grammy Week, ahead of the main Grammy Awards event.
