The global music community has celebrated Fela Anikulapo-Kuti after the late Afrobeat pioneer received the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Fela, who passed away in 1997, becomes the first African artiste to be honoured with the award.
The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award forms part of the Academy’s Special Merit Awards and is presented by a vote of the Recording Academy’s National Trustees. It recognises performers who made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to recorded music during their lifetimes.
President Tinubu Pays Tribute to Fela
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulated Fela’s family, describing the musician as,
“a fearless voice of the people, a philosopher of freedom, and a revolutionary force whose music confronted injustice and reshaped global sound.”
He added that Fela’s courage, creativity, and conviction defined a generation and continue to inspire artists around the world.
Afrobeat Legacy and Global Influence
Fela’s innovation in Afrobeat blended jazz, highlife, funk, and traditional African rhythms, creating a genre that was both musically groundbreaking and politically powerful. His music frequently addressed social and political issues, transforming sound into a tool for activism and cultural expression.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Fela not only for his artistry but also for the lasting legacy he left on modern African music. His influence remains evident in contemporary Afrobeat, Afrobeats, and across the global music scene.
“Fela Lives”, Says President Tinubu
President Tinubu concluded his statement by emphasising that “Fela lives”, underscoring that the musician’s spirit, message, and contributions remain immortal in Nigeria and beyond.
Leave a comment