NAS creates fund for pensions for hip-hop legends

BY JASMINE BROWLEY · UPDATED NOVEMBER 5, 2023

ESSENCE MAGAZINE

Nas, Steve Stoute, and Andreessen Horowitz co-founder Ben Horowitz are making sure hip-hop pioneers get the financial and cultural reparations they deserve.

They created the Hip Hop Grandmaster Awards, a celebration of artists Rakim and Scarface, among others—the event’s proceeds will 100% go toward the Paid In Full foundation to help “to support hip hop greats and other creatives.”

The Paid in Full Foundation aims to rectify that through its grant-making 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.”

The conversation around predatory business practices in hip-hop has been ongoing and jarring. For instance, in a 2021 tweet, Meek Mill shared he’d never made any money from the music he made in a previous record deal despite reaching the top of the charts.

NAS honors hip hop legends Rakim and Scarface at PAID IN FULL FOUNDATION