From Afrobeats To Soul: Africa’s Power Play At The Grammys
By IKE UZOR-NZUBECHI
Africa’s Defining Grammy Moment: Nigeria Leads as Fela Kuti Enters Immortality
AFRICAN music will command global attention on Sunday as the 68th Annual Grammy Awards take place in Los Angeles, marking a watershed moment for the continent. From chart-topping Afrobeats stars to legendary pioneers, Africa’s musical journey—from resistance to global reverence—will be on full display.
At the heart of this historic ceremony is Nigeria, which dominates this year’s African nominations with five superstars vying for major honours. But beyond the competition, the night carries profound symbolism: Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti will become the first African artiste to receive a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, nearly three decades after his death.
Nigeria’s Afrobeats Vanguard in the Spotlight
Leading the contemporary charge is Burna Boy, who enters the ceremony as the most-nominated African artiste in Grammy history, with 13 career nominations. His song Love is shortlisted for Best African Music Performance, further cementing his status as a global force.
Ayra Starr also earns recognition in the same category for Gimme Dat, her genre-blending collaboration with Wizkid. Produced by Don Jazzy, the track cleverly samples Wyclef Jean’s 911, demonstrating a growing sophistication in African pop production—one that blends nostalgia, innovation and global awareness.
Davido’s presence looms large too, through With You, his collaboration with Omah Lay. Davido’s recent work has leaned heavily into cultural preservation, sampling Nigerian highlife legend Bright Chimezie in what many see as an act of musical archiving for a new generation.
South Africa’s Tyla, last year’s breakout winner, returns as a defending champion with PUSH 2 START, a US Gold-certified hit that underscores Africa’s expanding commercial footprint.
Fela Kuti: From Resistance to Recognition
Yet, the emotional centre of the night lies not in competition but in history. Fela Anikulapo Kuti, the revolutionary creator of Afrobeat, will be posthumously honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African recipient since the award’s inception in 1963.
Fela, who died in 1997 at age 58, was revered not just as a musician but as a fearless social critic and cultural insurgent. His son, Seun Kuti, described the honour as long overdue, noting that Fela “lived in the hearts of the people long before institutions caught up.”
Long-time friend and former manager Rikki Stein echoed that sentiment, saying Africa’s exclusion from such honours was once systemic but is now changing rapidly.
The award places Fela alongside global icons like Carlos Santana, Chaka Khan and Paul Simon—an acknowledgement that Afrobeat was never peripheral, but foundational.
The Blueprint Returns: Sade Adu’s Emotional Nomination
Adding another layer of depth to the ceremony is the return of Sade Adu, the Nigerian-born British icon whose nomination for Best Global Music Performance has stirred emotional resonance. Her song Young Lion, her first release in over a decade, is a tender tribute to her son and a masterclass in restraint.
Unlike trend-driven pop, Young Lion thrives on intimacy and substance, reinforcing Sade’s status as a timeless architect of soul-inflected global music.
From Sampling to Storytelling
This year’s nominations reflect a shift in how African music is perceived—not merely as “vibes,” but as layered storytelling. Davido’s sampling of Bright Chimezie, Ayra Starr’s interpolation of Wyclef Jean, and Burna Boy’s genre-defiant compositions all point to a generation consciously engaging with musical history.
That lineage traces directly back to Fela, who fused jazz, funk, highlife and radical politics into a sound that challenged power structures. His music was a weapon, his stage a pulpit.
Brotherhood Over Trophies
Perhaps the clearest sign of cultural maturity came from Omah Lay, who dismissed the importance of awards while publicly rooting for Davido. His remarks captured a Gen-Z ethos where solidarity outweighs institutional validation—a mindset inherited from Fela’s defiant rejection of external approval.
A Night That Redefines Africa’s Place
With Angélique Kidjo reimagining Jerusalema in orchestral form and African categories gaining prestige, the Grammys are no longer about Africa seeking validation. They are about global music finally acknowledging a debt long overdue.
From Fela’s radical legacy to Nigeria’s modern dominance, the 68th Grammys mark a moment when Africa’s past, present and future converge—loud, proud and undeniable.
