Na big news wey dey shake everywhere as Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti go finally collect Lifetime Achievement Award for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Dis award dey come close to three decades after him waka go the great beyond.
Fela Kuti, wey be king of Afrobeat, go receive dis prestigious honor dem alongside international stars like Whitney Houston, Cher, Chaka Khan, and Paul Simon. E no be small thing o! As Harvey Mason Jr, wey be CEO of Recording Academy talk, na extraordinary people wey don influence music globally, dem be.
Even though Fela don waka pass, him music never die. Shey you sabi say him 1976 album ‘Zombie’ don enter Grammy Hall of Fame? Yes, na so e happen! Dis award go dey collected by him pikin dem, Femi, Seun, and Yeni Kuti, as they represent Fela family and Afrobeat community. Femi don talk say, “Our father’s legacy lives on. We dey proud to accept dis recognition for him.”
Fela no just be musician; him be real agent of change. E don use him music take talk about issues wey dey affect the society like military brutality and corruption. Him blend highlife, jazz, funk, and traditional Yoruba music into wetin we sabi today as Afrobeat. Na im make him music dey inspire the likes of Beyoncé, Burna Boy, and Wizkid. Dem dey carry him essence follow dem anywhere dem go.
As we dey talk, Grammy don introduce new category for Best African Performance just because of the rise of Afrobeats. This award no just dey give an honor but also dey celebrate the influence wey Afrobeat don get on global music, since e start to reign for Nigeria.
Wetin make dis Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award sweet pass be say, na di first time any African artist dey get am posthumously. E come be additional reason to celebrate Fela as we sabi say he don fight many battles for the common man through him art and activism.
Fela Kuti, wey carry cultural consciousness come Nigeria from 1938 to 1997, remain one of di most significant figures wey don ever hold microphone for Africa. Even after him death, di legacy wey e build no fit die. I mean, so many festivals, exhibitions, and movements dey honor him name, e go just dey continue to dey rise.
As we dey look towards di Grammy Awards wey go happen for January 31, 2026, we go dey shout louder to celebrate our own legendary Fela Kuti. Dis award be fitting end to di year wey show di world wetin this man represents.
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