Rakim Raps With George Clinton, Dr. Dre Drops By & Nas Performs During Paid In Full Foundation Gala
The Paid in Full Foundation held its third hip hop Grandmaster Awards on Saturday evening (October 18) on the Bellagio’s Tower Ballroom in Las Vegas.
Anyone graced with an invitation was probably overwhelmed by the sheer variety of legends within the constructing—from Nas, Dr. Dre and George Clinton to Scarface, Rakim, Fab 5 Freddy and Mobb Deep’s Havoc.
Needless to say, there have been some unforgettable moments that can dwell eternally—particularly on social media. One of the highlights of the night was a panel hosted by Paid in Full Foundation Board of Director Quincy Jones III that featured Babyface, Scarface and the primary recipient of The Quincy Jones Award, George Clinton.
Jones requested Clinton to rap the verses to Eric B. and Rakim’s “Follow the Leader,” to which Clinton replied, “Oh man you’re not gonna make me do it in front of him?” Despite the transient protest, Clinton proceeded to spit each single phrase to the basic observe to the viewers’s amazement. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than Rakim emerged from backstage and joined Clinton for the ultimate verse.
Moments later, Dr. Dre—who constructed his 1992 masterpiece The Chronic on quite a few Parliament-Funkadelic samples—shocked the group and praised Clinton for not solely his contribution to music however to Hip-Hop particularly.
“George Clinton is one of my main motivations and what I grew up to,” Dre stated. “Forty years this 12 months, I began in 1985. This summer season marks 40 years that I’ve been doing this factor. In the start of my profession and my childhood and every little thing was primarily based on this man proper right here. Everything that I’ve completed, studied… all of the drums and all of the devices that this man did impressed me to do what I’m doing proper now, and I’m simply so appreciative. It’s all love.
“These guys [Rakim and George] are responsible for changing music the way it was and the way it is right now. You know how crazy it is for somebody to go into the studio and change the way we listen to music? These two gentlemen did.”
That was solely a sliver of the magic occurring within the Tower Ballroom. Everyone in attendance had gathered to honor this 12 months’s hip hop Grandmaster Award recipients Grand Puba of Brand Nubian and Kool G Rap in addition to fellow honorees Jalil of Whodini and the Fat Boys’ Kool Rock Ski.
Former Yo! MTV Raps host Fab 5 Freddy interviewed a number of individuals from the crimson carpet, together with Van Jones, Kool Rock Ski, George Clinton and Scarface. The night’s host, Roxanne Shanté, spit freestyles, DJ Cool V cheered from his desk, Kool G Rap mingled with mates, Havoc rapped his verses from Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones II” and Nas carried out “Made You Look” (amongst others). Past hip hop Grandmaster Award honoree Kool Moe Dee was additionally joined by Fearless 4 MC Mike C and crew for one more electrical efficiency.
The occasion effortlessly illustrated each the power and resilience of the Hip-Hop group whereas concurrently elevating cash for a great trigger. Many of essentially the most influential and trailblazing Hip-Hop artists by no means obtained recognition proportional to their contributions the tradition.
The Paid in Full Foundation’s major objective, as said on its web site, “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.”
All web proceeds raised from the hip hop Grandmaster Awards straight help The Paid in Full Foundation’s mission to “empower Hip-Hop pioneers and other creatives.” Read extra about it here and luxuriate in a photograph of George Clinton arriving in a motorized wheelchair under.
Related
Categories News
Tags Clinton Dre Drops Foundation Full Gala George Nas Paid Performs Rakim Raps