Legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, is set to be posthumously honoured with a Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy has recognised Fela as the architect of Afrobeat, whose work transformed the genre and influenced generations of artists.
“An architect of Afrobeat, honoured 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,” a press statement read in part.
Fela will be joining an esteemed group of past recipients, including Whitney Houston, Cher, and Paul Simon.
Kuti’s impact on music is undeniable, having created Afrobeat in the 1960s by blending funk, jazz, salsa, calypso, and traditional Nigerian rhythms.
WOW.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate