Angélique Kidjo Makes History as First Black African Honored on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Angélique Kidjo, the five-time Grammy-winning singer from Benin, became the first Black African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this week, a milestone in a career that has spanned more than four decades. The ceremony drew film stars and music industry leaders to the famous boulevard as Kidjo unveiled her star under clear California skies.

In brief remarks that turned into an impromptu performance, Kidjo told the crowd that Africa’s contribution to global music is often overlooked. “We Africans don’t know what we’ve given to the world,” she said, before breaking into song as onlookers watched in silence. It was a theme she has returned to throughout her career: crediting the continent’s musical traditions as the root of much of the world’s popular music.

Born in Cotonou, Benin, Kidjo has built an international career across 18 albums, blending West African rhythms with jazz, funk and Western pop influences. She has been recognized repeatedly for her global reach, appearing on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people, the BBC’s list of Africa’s 50 most iconic figures, and The Guardian’s list of the world’s 100 most inspiring people.

Harvey Mason Jr., head of the Recording Academy, praised Kidjo during the ceremony as a rare artist whose work reminds audiences that music is more than entertainment. Actor Willem Dafoe, a longtime admirer of her live shows, credited her not just for her performances but for her humanitarian work through the Batonga Foundation, which she founded to expand education and opportunity for girls and young women across Africa.

The star on Hollywood Boulevard is meant as a permanent marker, but as speakers at the ceremony noted, Kidjo’s broader legacy is likely to be measured less by the sidewalk plaque than by the doors her career has opened for African artists in the decades since she began recording. Diajem Global Black News will continue to follow milestones like this one for Black artists on the world stage.

Source: Africanews | Published: Wed, 19 Aug 2026

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