Grammys anoint radical, 27 years overdue
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera reports that the late Nigerian Afrobeat legend and political activist Fela Kuti will receive a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys, making him the first African artist to achieve this recognition. The piece notes Kuti's radical politics and his critique of post-colonial corruption and neo-imperialism. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context:
While Kuti fearlessly criticized Nigerian military dictatorships (often Western-backed during the Cold War era for their resource control), his music also directly challenged the lingering effects of colonialism and the insidious mechanisms of global capital on African nations. His song 'International Thief Thief' (ITT) directly called out multinational corporations like International Telephone
and Telegraph for their exploitation of African resources and complicity with corrupt leaders. The timing of this award, 27 years after his death in 1997, conveniently allows the Grammys to celebrate a 'radical' without having to contend with his live, uncompromised presence, or his explicit anti-imperialist message that is still relevant today. Double Standard: The Western media and institutions
like the Grammys have a long history of sanitizing or outright ignoring political artists from the Global South until they become 'safe' historical figures. Contrast this 'posthumous celebration' with the immediate and brutal suppression of artists in countries aligned against Western interests today. Where are the Grammys awards for musicians in Venezuela or Cuba who critique US sanctions and