Two pillars of Hip Hop history have officially taken their place among music’s most celebrated works, as All Eyez On Me by Tupac Shakur and Paid in Full by Eric B. & Rakim have been inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame.
The honor is reserved for recordings that are at least 25 years old and recognized for their lasting qualitative or historical impact, making this induction long overdue for two projects that helped define the sound, structure, and global reach of Hip Hop. Both albums not only dominated their respective eras, but also set the blueprint for generations that followed, remaining essential listening decades after their release.
During the May 8 ceremony, members of the culture were on hand to accept the honors and reflect on the legacy behind the music. Eric B. addressed the crowd with gratitude, keeping his message direct and rooted in appreciation.
“Respect is earned, not given,” Eric said. “I just want to say thank you to everybody. Our security team, the drivers, management team, everybody. If it wasn’t for y’all, it wouldn’t be no Eric B. & Rakim. I love you. Thank you again.”
For Tupac, the moment carried an even deeper emotional weight. Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean accepted the honor on behalf of the late icon, speaking to both his legacy and the impact of the album.
“Wow, good evening,” he said. “On behalf of Tupac, his family, the Tupac Shakur estate, his friends and fans all around the world, thank you to the Recording Academy for this incredible honor. Thank you to the Grammy Hall Of Fame for this incredible honor. I’m sure Tupac is smiling real big and saying, ‘I told you I was a legend.'”
“He would tell us that,” E.D.I. continued. “He would look at us in our eyes and tell us that every day… But Tupac was more than an artist. He was a poet, a revolutionary spirit, and one of the most fearless voices of his generation. He spoke to pain, struggle, love, and the ability to overcome in spite of what you went through. Tonight, we honor him, but we also honor everybody who contributed to All Eyez On Me. I can’t overstate that enough.”
Released in 1996, All Eyez On Me stands as one of the most influential double albums in Hip Hop history, capturing Tupac at the height of his artistic and cultural power. Nearly a decade earlier, Paid in Full introduced a new level of lyricism and flow through Rakim’s delivery, redefining what it meant to be an emcee and shifting the direction of the genre permanently.
This year’s Grammy Hall Of Fame class also includes landmark works such as Journey in Satchidananda by Alice Coltrane, Maggot Brain by Funkadelic, Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson, and Pink Moon by Nick Drake.
With this latest recognition, both All Eyez On Me and Paid in Full continue to solidify their place not just in Hip Hop, but in the broader history of music, ensuring their influence will be felt for generations to come.
