Kool G Rap and Grand Puba were the honorees at the Paid in Full Foundation’s 2025 Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards celebration. The third annual fundraising gala on Saturday (Oct. 18) also included two inaugural award presentations: the Quincy Jones Award given to funk icon George Clinton and the Contributor Award, presented to pioneers Kool Rock Ski of the Fat Boys and Jalil Hutchins of Whodini.
After accepting his award, Grand Puba said, “Amazing! This was the BET, VH1 and the Grammy Awards all rolled into one. It’s the biggest honor I could have ever imagined.”
Held in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Resort & Casino, the PIFF gala drew a mix of music artists and other celebs. Among the attendees were Dr. Dre, Nas, Ludacris, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Gayle King, Fab 5 Freddy, Rakim, Scarface and Kool Moe Dee.
L to R: Kool G Rap, Steve Stoute, and Grand Puba at the 2025 Paid In Full Gala at the Bellagio, Las Vegas on October 18, 2025.
Jerry Metellus
Serving as host was 2025 Grammy Lifetime Achievement honoree and 2024 Hip Hop Grandmaster Award recipient Roxanne Shanté. “Let me explain it with a rhyme,” said Shanté about the gala. “A night of fun with family and friends. Dancing and singing from beginning to end. You can’t stay in your seat, every moment on stage is a hip hop treat. The smiles, the energy, the room filled with cheer. It was an honor to host. I can’t wait until next year. That’s the Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards.”
Founded by Ben and Felicia Horowitz in 2022, the Paid in Full Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization based in Las Vegas. Doug E. Fresh, who was also in attendance, underscored the importance of the foundation’s annual awards show in an email to Billboard.
“I turned down a major HBCU Homecoming show this weekend because the Paid in Full Grandmaster Awards are that important. You clear your calendar for something this powerful that it should be televised. In my nearly 45 years in the music business, I’ve never seen an awards show with this much class, integrity and genuine love for hip hop pioneers.”
He continued, “Before the Paid in Full Foundation, supporting fellow pioneers was something that naturally fell to those of us who have had the ability to assist. Now, thanks to what Ben and Felicia Horowitz have formed, more pioneers can get the proper recognition and support they deserve — not just to live, but to continue creating beautiful art. To whom much is given, much is required; that’s why I will always show up.”
L to R: L.A. Reid, Nas, Felicia Horowitz, Ben Horowitz, Babyface, Jules Horowitz, Chris Tucker, and Doug E. Fresh at the 2025 Paid In Full Gala at the Bellagio, Las Vegas on October 18, 2025.
Jerry Metellus
