Fela Kuti's Iconic Album Zombie Inducted into 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame

Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been posthumously honored by the Recording Academy with induction into the 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame for his revolutionary 1976 album Zombie. The milestone makes Fela the first Nigerian artist ever to receive this honor.

The Grammy Hall of Fame celebrates recordings that are at least 25 years old and that demonstrate enduring cultural, historical, or artistic significance. Fela’s Zombie stood out not just for its musical brilliance, but for its fearless critique of authoritarianism and political repression.

A Legacy Etched in Sound and Struggle

Originally released in 1976 by Coconut Records in Nigeria and a year later in the UK by Creole Records, Zombie remains one of Fela’s most confrontational and iconic works. The title track metaphorically likens Nigerian soldiers to brainless “zombies”, blindly obeying orders. The album also includes powerful tracks like:

• Mister Follow Follow

• Observation Is No Crime

• Mistake (recorded live at the 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival)

The album’s biting satire enraged Nigeria’s then-military regime. In 1977, government forces launched a brutal raid on Fela’s Kalakuta Republic compound. Fela was severely beaten, his studio was destroyed, and his mother, Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a renowned women’s rights activist, was fatally injured after being thrown from a window.

This horrific event not only shocked the nation but also cemented Fela’s reputation as a fearless voice for justice and freedom in Africa.

Family Pride and Global Recognition

Fela’s eldest son, Femi Kuti, expressed gratitude and pride on social media, saying:

“Our father’s legacy lives on. We are proud to accept this Grammy Hall of Fame award for Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. His music inspires and unites people worldwide.”

Fela’s influence stretches far beyond music. His pioneering Afrobeat sound—a mix of jazz, highlife, funk, and African rhythms—carried fierce political messages that challenged colonial legacies, dictatorship, and systemic corruption. His legacy continues through artists like Seun Kuti, Burna Boy, Questlove, and Beyoncé, all of whom have cited Fela as an inspiration.

A Posthumous Global Icon

Though he died in 1997, Fela’s cultural and political impact has only grown. His life and work have inspired:

• Documentaries

• Biographies

• The award-winning Broadway musical "Fela!"

Today, Zombie stands in the Grammy Hall of Fame beside works by legends like Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Santana, and Cat Stevens—a place many believe Fela should have occupied long ago.

This recognition by the Recording Academy reaffirms Fela’s place not just as a musical revolutionary, but as a global symbol of resistance and empowerment. Through albums like Zombie, Fela used his art to speak truth to power—a message that still resonates with new generations around the world.