Photo: Kurtis Blow | By Sha Be Allah, The Source | It was a landmark weekend for Felicia and Ben Horowitz, as they hosted the 4th Annual Paid In Full Foundation Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards on Saturday, October 24th, 2026. Through the Foundation they co-founded, they are committed to honoring the pioneers whose extraordinary contributions helped shape hip-hop into one of the most influential cultural movements in the world.
Over the past several decades, hip-hop has evolved from a grassroots art form born in New York into a global phenomenon. Along the way, it has created countless careers, generated tremendous wealth, and, most importantly, given generations of young people hope, inspiration, and the belief that a better future is possible.
Yet many of the original artists who helped build this cultural movement have never received recognition commensurate with their contributions to music, the arts, and society. The Paid in Full Foundation seeks to help change that through its grantmaking program, honoring the individuals who laid the foundation for hip-hop while providing them with meaningful resources to continue pursuing their creative and intellectual passions and contributing to future generations.
In addition to the honor, each recipient received a five-year grant totaling $500,000 to bless the world with their creative talents.
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For more information on The Paid In Full Foundation, please visit the website: https://paidinfullfoundation.org/ and on Instagram @paidinfullfoundation.
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Go here to read more on this exciting new awards program:
https://thesource.com/2026/10/26/paid-in-full-foundation-presents-the-4th-annual-hip-hop-grandmaster-awards-kurtis-blow-and-the-d-o-c-honored-at-this-years-event/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurtis_Blow
Photo: Kurtis Blow | From Sarpri S Dawson’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=6045661332115386&set=a.105922979422614
Happy 67th Birthday, Kurtis Blow! Born Kurtis Walker (August 9, 1959), he is known professionally by his stage name Kurtis Blow. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, film producer, b-boy, DJ, public speaker, and minister.
He is the first commercially successful rapper and the first to sign with a major record label. “The Breaks”, a single from his 1980 self-titled debut album, is his 1st certified gold rap song. Throughout his career, he has released 15 albums and is currently an ordained minister.
