Angélique Kidjo Is Making Hollywood History as the First Black African Artist to Receive a Walk of Fame Star

Africa is about to have its name permanently embedded in the concrete of Hollywood Boulevard, and the woman making it happen is Angélique Kidjo. The five-time Grammy-winning musician will be honoured with the 2,854th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 18 August at 11:30am PT at 7011 Hollywood Boulevard, across the street from the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, receiving her star in the category of Recording. She will be the first Black African artist ever to receive this honour, a milestone that belongs not just to her but to the entire continent.

Joining Kidjo for the ceremony will be Willem Dafoe, the internationally acclaimed actor and four-time Academy Award nominee, and Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez summed up the significance of the moment clearly: “Angélique Kidjo’s extraordinary artistry and global influence have inspired audiences across generations and continents. We are proud to honour her as the first African artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognising her remarkable contributions to music and culture around the world.”

Beninese music icon Angélique Kidjo performing onstage with an orchestra during her 2025 concert at Philharmonie de Paris. Photo Credit: Angélique Kidjo/Instagram

For anyone coming to Angélique Kidjo’s story for the first time, here is who she is. Born in 1960 in what was then Dahomey, now the Republic of Benin in West Africa, she released her debut album Pretty in 1981 before moving to Paris in 1983 to escape the civil unrest caused by her country’s then-communist government. She eventually…