By Uche Amunike
Almost 30 years after the death of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, he has been inducted into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame classic album of 1976, Zombie. It is the first time in history that a Nigerian artiste is receiving this honor.
The organizers of the Grammy awards, The Recording Academy, announced that Fela Anikulapo Kuti would be included in the selection of the 2025 Hall of Fame Grammy Awards.
This Hall of Fame is different from other Grammy categories as they thrive on recognizing recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that have stood the test of time.
The ‘Zombie’ album deserved the honor of Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his family, as part of the nominated works released for the past 25 years, not recent musical works.
The Recording Academy of the United States who are the organizers of the Grammy Hall of Fame awards recognized the late music icon’s achievements in music and chose the Zombie album, which is a socio-political themed album, for meeting the criteria for recording with lasting qualitative and historical significance.
Fela Anikulapo Kuti criticized the Nigerian military regime in the zombie album, which was released in Nigeria, under Coconut Records in 1976 and in the United Kingdom by Creole Records in 1977.
The tracks that cemented the legacy of the album as a fearless protest record are Zombie,Mister Follow Folow, Observation is No Crime, including Mistake, which was recorded live at the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1978.
Presently, Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s album, Zombie, is in the league of other remarkable musical works that deserve to be inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame Awards. Before now, other albums from Michael Jackson, Cat Stevens, Jay-Z and Santana have since been listed in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Son of the music Icon, Femi Anikulapo Kuti made this announcement of the receipt of the prestigious award in a post on X, Wednesday, thanking the organizers of the award on behalf of the late music legend.
His words: ‘Our father’s legacy lives on. We are honored to accept this Grammy Hall of Fame award on behalf of Fela Anikulapo Kuti.’
Femi, who is also a musician also noted that his father’s music has made a global impact in the world as a great legacy and has, even in death, continued to inspire and unite people globally with the prestigious Grammy award.
The Zombie album was a major commercial success which resonated deeply with the Nigerian population, but which met widespread anger and resentment within the government in power at the time.
In reaction to the popularity generated by the Zombie album at the time, the government retaliated by violently unleashing terror on not just Fela Anikulapo Kuti, but his family. They carried out a violent attack on his commune, the Kalakuta Republic, leading to the destruction of his property, severe injuries on him and sadly, the death of his mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
