KKR & Co. (KKR) 8-KEntry into a Material Definitive Agreement

We have acted as counsel to KKR Group Finance Co. IX LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and KKR & Co. Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Parent”), and KKR Group Partnership L.P., an exempted limited partnership formed under the law of the Cayman Islands (“KKR Group Partnership” and, together with the Parent, the “Guarantors”) in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company and the Guarantors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the issuance by the Company from time to time for an indeterminate aggregate initial offering price of, among other things, debt securities, which may be either senior or subordinated (collectively, the “Securities”) and the issuance by the Guarantors of Guarantees (as defined below) with respect to the Securities.

We have examined the Registration Statement; the Underwriting Agreement dated March 24, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company, the Guarantors and the underwriters named therein, pursuant to which such underwriters have agreed to purchase

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.  We also have assumed that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.

In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed further that (1) KKR Group Partnership is validly existing and in good standing under the law of the Cayman Islands and has duly authorized, executed, issued and delivered the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and its Guarantee, as applicable, in accordance with its organizational documents and the law of the

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

Our opinions set forth above are subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and (iv) the effects of the possible judicial application of foreign laws or foreign governmental or judicial action affecting creditors’ rights. In addition, we express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of (i) the waiver of rights and defenses contained in Section 1406 of the

In connection with Section 112 and Section 10.06 of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, respectively, whereby the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the United States of America located in the City of New York and County of New York and the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, respectively, we note the limitations of 28 U.S.C. Sections 1331 and 1332 on subject matter jurisdiction of the U.S. federal courts.  In connection with the provisions of Section 112 and Section 10.06 of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, respectively, which relate to forum selection of the courts of the State of New York located in the City of New York and County of New York  and the Borough of Manhattan in the City of New York, respectively (including, without limitation, any waiver of any objection to venue or any objection that a court is an inconvenient forum), we note that under N.Y.C.P.L.R. Section 510 a New York State court may have discretion to transfer the place of trial and under 28 U.S.C. Section 1404(a) a U.S. District Court has discretion to transfer an action from one U.S. federal court to another. We also note that the recognition and enforcement in New York State courts or U.S. federal courts sitting in the State of New York of a foreign judgment obtained against the Company or the Guarantors is subject to the Uniform Foreign Money—Judgments Recognition Act (53 C.P.L.R. §5301 et seq.).

We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States, the DGCL and the DLLCA. We expressly disclaim coverage of any other Delaware law, except judicial decisions interpreting the DGCL and the DLLCA.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus included in the Registration Statement.