The legendary Nigerian musician made the list of nominees this year more than two decades after his passing.
Fela was nominated alongside 15 other artists, including rappers Jay-Z and LL Cool J. R&B stars Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan and Dionne Warwick.
Rock stars Rage Against the Machine and Foo Fighters, as well as veteran female singers Kate Bush, Carole King and Tina Turner, were also selected from a list that included the genre.
“We will announce our new hires in May,” Harris said. “They will be honored at the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony right here in Cleveland, Ohio this fall,” he added.
Artists can opt for induction 25 years after releasing their first musical work.
Fela was a outspoken critic of various military regimes in Nigeria and was often arrested for his problems.
Through her musical and human rights activism, Fela campaigned against military government and corruption in Nigeria.
In 1977, for example, he released the album “Zombie”, which ridiculed the military government. In response, the military burned his house, beat him and threw his mother out a window. He died shortly after his injuries.
Fela himself died in 1997 from complications of AIDS.