Decades after his passing, Fela Anikulapo–Kuti is set to be honoured on one of music’s biggest stages. The legendary Afrobeat pioneer will receive a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards, recognising the lasting impact of his work on global music.
The honour will be presented at the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards ceremony on January 31, 2026, during Grammy Week, a day before the main awards show. Fela will be celebrated alongside an impressive group of music greats including Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Cher and Paul Simon.
While Fela never won a Grammy during his lifetime, his influence has continued to resonate far beyond his era. In 2025, his 1976 album “Zombie” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, with the award accepted by his sons, Femi and Seun Kuti, a moment that reaffirmed just how far his music has travelled.
Announcing the honourees on Instagram, the Recording Academy described Fela as follows: “An architect of Afrobeat, honored for a lifetime of influence. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician, producer, arranger, political radical, activist, and the father of Afrobeat. In the 1960s, he created the genre by combining funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and a blend of traditional Nigerian rhythms.”
The Academy also spoke about the reach of his legacy, noting: “His influence spans generations, shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats and inspiring global artists such as Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, and Thom Yorke. His legacy continues to live on not only through music, but through his family and through the Kalakuta Museum and the New Afrika Shrine.”
With this recognition, Fela joins a distinguished list of past Special Merit Award recipients including Whitney Houston, Cher, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Carlos Santana, Sylvia Rhone, John Chowning, Eddie Palmieri and Bernie Taupin.
As the 2026 Grammy Awards approach, Nigerian stars are back in the mix. Burna Boy is up for Best African Music Performance with “Love” and Best Global Music Album with “No Sign of Weakness,” while Davido earns a nod for “With You” featuring Omah Lay in the Best African Music Performance category. Ayra Starr and Wizkid also make the list with “Gimme Dat.”
