Yemi Olakitan
In a landmark recognition of his enduring legacy, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been posthumously inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame for his explosive 1976 album, “Zombie.” This historic achievement marks the first time a Nigerian album has received this prestigious honor, nearly three decades after Fela’s passing.
The Recording Academy, organizers of the Grammy Awards, announced “Zombie” as part of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees. Unlike regular Grammy categories, the Hall of Fame acknowledges recordings that are at least 25 years old and possess “lasting qualitative or historical significance.”
In a statement, the Academy lauded “Zombie” for its “fearless critique of oppression, cultural impact, and enduring relevance to political resistance and African musical heritage.”
Reacting to the news, Fela’s eldest son and acclaimed musician, Femi Kuti, expressed the family’s profound excitement on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. “Our father’s legacy lives on. We are honoured to accept this Grammy Hall of Fame award on behalf of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti,” he wrote. “His music continues to inspire & unite people across the world #Grammy.”
Originally released in Nigeria in 1976 under Coconut Records and subsequently in the UK by Creole Records in 1977, “Zombie” remains one of Fela’s most incendiary and impactful works. The album, featuring tracks like “Zombie,” “Mister Follow Follow,” “Observation Is No Crime,” and “Mistake” (recorded live at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1978), served as a searing satire of the Nigerian military. Fela famously likened soldiers to mindless “zombies” who blindly followed orders.
The album’s immense commercial success, however, ignited fierce outrage within the ruling military regime, ultimately leading to a brutal state-backed assault on Fela’s Lagos commune, the Kalakuta Republic, in 1977. During the violent raid, Fela was severely beaten, his studio and master tapes were destroyed, and his revered activist mother, Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was tragically thrown from a window, succumbing to her injuries later.
This attack, widely condemned by human rights groups, solidified Fela’s reputation as a fearless musical dissenter and became a pivotal moment in Nigerian sociopolitical consciousness.
Fela’s induction places “Zombie” among an elite selection of legendary works previously admitted into the Hall of Fame, including iconic albums from Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Cat Stevens, and Santana.
Music scholars and fans globally have hailed the Grammy recognition as a long-overdue acknowledgment of Fela’s profound influence on world music and political thought.
Born in 1938, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, who passed away in 1997, is widely credited with pioneering Afrobeat – a groundbreaking genre that masterfully fused jazz, highlife, and traditional African rhythms with potent political commentary. His music has inspired generations of activists and artists, from his sons Seun Kuti and Burna Boy to global figures like Questlove and Beyoncé.
The Grammy Hall of Fame nod adds to a growing list of posthumous accolades for the late icon, who has been the subject of numerous documentaries, biographies, and the acclaimed Broadway musical, Fela! Throughout his life, despite repeated arrests, beatings, and the destruction of his properties by successive military governments, Fela never wavered in his commitment to his art or his powerful message against corruption, colonialism, and authoritarianism. His induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame ensures that the enduring legacy of his fearless artistry will continue to resonate for generations to come.