Nearly three decades after his passing, Nigeria’s Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti has received one of music’s highest posthumous honour induction into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame for his seminal 1976 album, Zombie.
The announcement was made on June 11, 2025, marking a historic recognition of Kuti’s enduring cultural and musical legacy.
The Grammy Hall of Fame, established to celebrate recordings at least 25 years old with lasting qualitative or historical significance, has added Zombie to its prestigious archive.
Regarded as one of Fela Kuti’s most politically charged and sonically innovative works, the album blends jazz, funk, and traditional Yoruba music into a fiery critique of Nigeria’s military regime.
Femi Kuti, one of Fela’s sons and a celebrated musician in his own right, shared the news Thursday morning, expressing deep pride in his father’s enduring impact.
“Our father’s legacy lives on,” he said. “We are honoured to accept this Grammy Hall of Fame award on behalf of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. His music continues to inspire and unite people across the world.”
Released at the height of Fela’s activism, Zombie condemned the blind obedience of Nigerian soldiers, likening them to mindless followers through its scathing lyrics and hypnotic rhythms.
The album’s release provoked violent retaliation from the government, including a brutal attack on Kuti’s commune, the Kalakuta Republic.
The Grammy recognition arrives amid a global Afrobeat resurgence, with Fela’s legacy carried forward by his sons, Femi and Seun Kuti, and embraced by new generations of artists and fans worldwide.
From Lagos to London and New York, Fela’s music continues to echo in movements for justice, freedom, and truth.
