Fela Kuti Receives Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from Recording Academy

The global music community has paid tribute to one of Africa’s most influential cultural icons, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, as the Recording Academy of America conferred on him the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award- making him the first African artist to receive the honour.

The announcement has been met with widespread acclaim, celebrating Fela’s enduring impact on music, activism, and cultural identity.

Known worldwide as the pioneer of Afrobeat, Fela blended highlife, jazz, funk, and traditional Yoruba rhythms to forge a sound that would later inspire generations of Nigerian and global artists.

His work continues to inform contemporary Afrobeats and other modern musical expressions.

Beyond his sonic innovations, Fela Kuti was widely regarded as a fearless advocate for social justice.

Through his politically charged lyrics and activism, he confronted authoritarianism, inequality, and corruption, often at personal risk. Admirers describe him as a musician, philosopher, and uncompromising voice of the oppressed.

In a statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu praised the late icon’s legacy, noting that Fela’s courage and creativity “defined a generation and continue to inspire the world.”

The President added that the award is a recognition of Fela’s “enduring global influence and the foundational role he has played in the evolution and impact of Africa on modern music.”

Decades after his passing, Fela’s cultural imprint remains unmistakable. From live performances to contemporary studio productions, traces of his rhythm, activism, and artistic audacity continue to shape the global music landscape.

Fela lives.