•Late Fela Kuti
Legendary singer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, marking a historic milestone as the first Nigerian artist to receive the honour.
He is recognised in the “Early Influence” category, alongside notable artistes such as Queen Latifah, Celia Cruz, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons.
The announcement was made Monday night during an American Idol broadcast in the United States.
Nigerian-born British singer Sade Adu is also among the honourees, recognised in the “Performer” category alongside Phil Collins, Billy Idol, and Iron Maiden.
Fela’s induction is a notable achievement, coming nearly 30 years after his passing and two years after the Grammys introduced the Best African Performance category.
Earlier this year, he became the first African musician to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The induction ceremony is set for November 14 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.
In all, 18 artistes made the cut across four categories:
Performer Category:
Phil Collins
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Oasis
Sade Adu
Wu-Tang Clan
Early Influence Award:
Celia Cruz
Fela Kuti
Queen Latifah
MC Lyte
Gram Parsons
Musical Excellence Award:
Linda Creed
Arif Mardin
Jimmy Miller
Rick Rubin
Ahmet Ertegun Award:
Ed Sullivan
