thank you for joining us to celebrate
THE 2025 HONOREES OF THE
Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards
Saturday October 18th 2025
THE BELLAGIO RESORT & CASINO • LAS VEGAS NEVADA
OUR MISSION
Over the past several decades, Hip Hop music and culture rose from a local niche New York art form into a global phenomenon. In doing so, it has created countless careers, many fortunes, and, most importantly, gave hope and aspiration to a generation of young people.
Unfortunately, many of the most impactful original artists never received recognition proportional with their exceptional contributions to arts and culture. The Paid in Full Foundation aims to rectify that through its grantmaking program, by both honoring the people who built Hip Hop and enabling them to pursue their creative and intellectual pursuits for the benefit of society.
Join us for the annual Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards, where we honor and celebrate transformational artists. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, October 18th, 2025, at The Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. All net proceeds raised from this event will directly support The Paid in Full Foundation’s mission to empower hip hop pioneers and other creatives. We sincerely hope you’ll join us in this vital endeavor.
the 2025 HONOREES
Kool G Rap
Kool G Rap (Nathaniel Thomas Wilson) is a legendary MC from Corona, Queens, New York, known for his complex multisyllabic rhymes, vivid street narratives, and influence on gangsta rap.
He emerged in the mid-1980s as part of the Juice Crew, a collective led by producer Marley Marl.
His collaborations with DJ Polo, particularly on albums like Road to the Riches (1989), Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990), and Live and Let Die (1992), set a new standard for hardcore lyricism.
G Rap’s storytelling, filled with crime-laced imagery and cinematic detail, heavily influenced artists like Nas, Big Pun, Jay-Z, and The Notorious B.I.G. He is often regarded an one of the greatest MCs of All-Time.
GRaND Puba
Grand Puba (Maxwell Dixon) is the legendary MC from New Rochelle, New York, known for his charismatic flow, smooth delivery, and conscious yet playful lyricism. He first gained recognition in the late 1980s as a member of the group Masters of Ceremony before becoming the frontman of Brand Nubian, a pioneering group steeped in Afrocentric and Five-Percenter-influenced Hip-Hop.
Brand Nubian’s 1990 debut album, One for All, was highly acclaimed for its socially conscious themes and jazzy production. Puba pursued a solo career, releasing Reel to Reel in 1992, which featured the hit “360° (What Goes Around)”.
His style blended humor, braggadocio, and knowledge, making him a respected figure in both underground and mainstream circles.
The QuiNcy Jones Award
George Clinton
George Clinton is the mastermind behind Parliament-Funkadelic (P-Funk) and one of the most influential figures in funk music history. Clinton started in doo-wop before revolutionizing Black music in the 1970s with his psychedelic, bass-heavy, and heavily conceptual brand of funk.
With Parliament and Funkadelic, he created a universe of outlandish characters, spacey themes, and infectious grooves, blending funk, rock, and soul into a unique sound. That sound became foundational in funk and later Hip-Hop, with his music being widely sampled by artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and OutKast.
Known for his wild costumes, deep musical innovation, and legendary stage performances, Clinton remains a major cultural force, helping to shape funk’s evolution into Hip-Hop and beyond.
Past Honorees
WATCH THE RECAP
In the News
passion of the weiss
The Foundation: An Interview With Grand Puba
If you trace enough artists’ careers back to their beginnings, you find that even the greatest MCs usually go through a formative period where they imitate their influences and stumble around in the dark looking for a style of their own. That’s not the case with Grand Puba.
Billboard
Hip-Hop Legends Kool G Rap & Grand Puba Honored by Dr. Dre, Nas & More at ‘Powerful’ Paid in Full Gala
Kool G Rap and Grand Puba were the honorees at the Paid in Full Foundation’s 2025 Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards celebration.
AllHipHop
Rakim Raps With George Clinton, Dr. Dre Pops Up & Nas Performs During Paid In Full Foundation Gala
Anyone graced with an invite was likely overwhelmed by the sheer number of legends in the building—from Nas, Dr. Dre, Ludacris and George Clinton to Scarface, Rakim, Fab 5 Freddy and Mobb Deep’s Havoc.
Rock The Bells
The Paid In Full Foundation To Honor Kool G. Rap, Grand Puba, Kool Rock Ski, And Jalil Hutchins
The Paid In Full Foundation is set to honor Hip-Hop legends Kool G Rap and Grand Puba at the 3rd annual Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards on October 18 in Las Vegas.
Ebony
Roxanne Shanté Isn't Mad at Cardi and Nicki's Online Feuds: "Hip-Hop Is a Sport"
The upcoming host of 3rd Annual Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards reminds us that hip-hop was built on lyrical competition—and why she’s celebrating its pioneers onstage.
TMZ
Terry Crews MC For Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards
The Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards are back for the second year, giving pioneering rap stars their flowers in the form of PHAT finances — and Terry Crews will be front and center as this year’s host!!!
Billboard
Scarface Delivers a Nostalgic 6-Song Medley for His NPR Tiny Desk Performance
Houston legend Scarface delivered an impressive six-song medley for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. The set featured classics like “My Block,” “Smile,” and Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” with his band and longtime producer Mike Dean.
passion of the weiss
The Cornerstone of Culture: An Interview With Grandmaster Caz
CBS Mornings
Roxanne Shanté reflects on her journey as she makes Grammys history
Renowned hip-hop pioneer Roxanne Shante is set to receive the prestigious 2025 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This accolade acknowledges her immense contributions to the music industry, and follows her honor as a Hip Hop Grandmaster Award recipient by the Paid in Full Foundation last year.
passion of the weiss
The Best Revenge Is Living Well: An Interview with Roxanne Shanté
Vibe Magazine
Paid In Full Foundation’s Inaugural Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards
Rakim and Scarface were honored on Friday (Nov. 17) for their many contributions to Hip-Hop. The Paid In Full Foundation’s inaugural Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards showed love to the legends at Las Vegas’ Keep Memory Alive Event Center, designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry.