Nigerian Afrobeat architect, Fela Anikulapo Kuti will be honoured with a Special Merit Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Fela Kuti was a Nigerian, musician, producer, arranger, political radical, activist and the father of Afrobeat. In the 1960’s he created the genre by combining funk, jazz, salsa, calypso and a blend of traditional Nigerian rhythms. His influence spans generations, shaping modern Nigerian Afrobeats. His legacy continues to live on not only through music, but also through his family.
The Afrobeat pioneer will be honoured in January 31st, 2026 with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.
