The Grammy Awards on Thursday announced the conferment of a Lifetime Achievement Award on Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, nearly three decades after his passing.
According to the Recording Academy, the honour will be presented during the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026, in Los Angeles, United States (US).
New Telegraph gathered that the recognition comes ahead of what would have been Fela’s 88th birthday on October 15, 2026.
Members of his family, Yeni Kuti, Femi Kuti and Kunle Kuti, will receive the award on behalf of the late musician and the global Afrobeat community.
Recall that the Grammy Awards announced in December that Fela would be given a Lifetime Achievement Award. However, this recent development mentions the modalities for the awards.
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Over the course of his career, Fela created Afrobeat as a genre, releasing and performing more than 200 songs. His legacy endures through institutions such as the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine, as well as through his children, who continue to promote his ideals.
In 2025, Fela’s politically charged 1976 album Zombie earned a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame, with the honour accepted by his sons, Femi and Seun Kuti. Although he never received a Grammy nomination during his lifetime, the Lifetime Achievement Award marks a major posthumous recognition of his global musical impact.
The Kuti family has also built a strong Grammy presence of its own. Collectively, Femi, Seun and Made Kuti have earned eight nominations, with Femi receiving six across the World Music and Global Music categories, Seun earning one nomination for Best World Music Album, and Made securing a nomination as well.
Beyond music, Fela was a vocal critic of military rule, corruption and social injustice in Nigeria. His outspoken activism led to frequent clashes with successive military governments, including raids, arrests and imprisonment.
Since his death, his children have continued to protect and expand his legacy. Yeni Kuti founded Felabration, an annual festival celebrating Fela’s life and ideals. Femi and Yeni oversee the New Afrika Shrine, a cultural centre dedicated to live Afrobeat performances and political discourse, while Kunle Kuti manages the Kalakuta Museum, Fela’s former home in Ikeja, now preserved as a historical and tourist site.
Yeni, Femi and Kunle Kuti are also legally recognised as administrators of Fela’s estate, jointly overseeing the use of his name, image and intellectual property to ensure that all projects remain consistent with his values and the family’s long-term vision.
