Fela Kuti’s Grammy Glory: Afrobeat Rebel Becomes First African Lifetime Legend, 30 Years On

By Patrick Isaac

Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti roared into history Saturday as the first African to claim a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, presented posthumously at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards, just before the 68th Grammys.

Born in 1938 to activist parents, the Nigerian rebel, dead 29 years at 58, fused jazz, funk, and Yoruba rhythms into Afrobeat, slamming corruption through hits like Zombie.

His influence birthed Afrobeats, new Grammy category since 2024, Burna Boy nominated this year.

Family reps like Yeni, Femi, Seun, and Kunle Kuti accepted amid icons. Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan (“Music saved my life”), Cher, Paul Simon, Whitney Houston.

Seun Kuti at BBC said “Fela owned hearts forever, Grammys make it double victory, balancing his story!”

Yeni Kuti at Al Jazeera said “Thrilled but late; he ignored awards, loved his people’s nod and African unity.”

Manager Rikki Stein (BBC): “Better late than never, Africas rising on their radar.”

Artist Lemi Ghariokwu stated, “Fela fist-up: ‘Got ’em now, Inspires fearless youth.”

Over 1M mourned his 1997 funeral. As Yeni’s New Afrika Shrine pulses, “This pulls kids to pan-African fire.”Epic nod to the anti-establishment king.