The 2025 Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards
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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
In the News
passion of the weiss
The Best Revenge Is Living Well: An Interview with Roxanne Shanté
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
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!!!
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.
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.