Cookey Mba
Late Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti will be posthumously honoured with a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 67th Grammy Awards, becoming the first African musician to receive the prestigious recognition.
The Nigerian music legend will be celebrated alongside global music icons including Whitney Houston, Paul Simon, Cher, and Chaka Khan.
In an official statement, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. described the honourees as “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music.”
The Recording Academy hailed Fela as the “architect of Afrobeat,” acknowledging his groundbreaking role in shaping the genre and his lasting influence on generations of artists worldwide.
This recognition follows the Academy’s recent induction of Fela’s classic 1976 album, Zombie, into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame, further cementing his enduring legacy in global music history.
