By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the legendary Afrobeat icon, is set to receive a posthumous Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 67th Grammys, a first for an African artist.
He will be joining music greats like Whitney Houston, Paul Simon, Cher, and Chaka Khan in this prestigious honor.
Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr called the honorees “an extraordinary group whose influence spans generations, genres, and the very foundation of modern music.” The Academy praised Fela as the “architect of Afrobeat”, highlighting his genre-bending impact and lasting influence on artists.
This is not Fela’s first Grammy recognition – his 1976 album Zombie was inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame.
