The Grammy Hall Of Fame celebrates historically or qualitatively significant releases in music that are at least 25 years old, and two hip-hop classics got long-overdue inductions. Tupac and his beloved, relentlessly enduring album All Eyez On Me are in the Hall now, as well as the seminal Paid In Full by the legendary Eric B. and Rakim. These records defined the genre in their era, paved the way for so much more to come, and still stand as two of the most essential hip-hop projects of all time.
The Art Of Dialogue caught a clip of the Friday (May 8) induction ceremony on Twitter. "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."
Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean accepted the honor on 'Pac's behalf. "Wow, good evening," he said, as he shared on Instagram. "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.'
2026 Grammy Hall Of Fame
"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."
Other Grammy Hall Of Fame inductees this year include Alice Coltrane's Journey In Satchidananda, Funkadelic's Maggot Brain, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, and Pink Moon by Nick Drake. With this and many more accolades over the years, All Eyez On Me and Paid In Full will resonate for generations to come.
