Recently in Hip Hop / Rap Category

Ice Cube Honored As This Year's "I AM HIP-HOP" Icon Award Recipient

* Hosted By Comedian and Actor Mike Epps *

BET Networks is gearing up for its fourth annual BET HIP HOP AWARDS in Atlanta, GA hosted by actor and comedian Mike Epps, the show will tape on Saturday, October 10th at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlantic Civic Center and will premiere on the network on Tuesday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m.* This year's show is sure to have you on your feet with appearances and performances by Snoop, Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Wale, E-40, Fabolous, Gucci Mane, Goodie Mob, Lil Scrappy, Dorrough, Monica, Tiny & Toya, DJ Khalid, DJ Drama, Trina, Diddy featuring his sexy Dirty Money crew, and of course you know they'll be some surprises.

One of the most popular segments of the show are always the "hip-hop ciphers" and it promises not to disappoint this year as it features some of the true heavy weights as they battle it out, raw, uncut - for the fans.

To refresh the minds, the Hip-Hop Awards Voting Academy has nominated rapper, producer and style aficionado Kanye West for an impressive nine awards. Jay Z and Lil Wayne follow closely behind with seven nominations and T.I. rounds things off with six nominations. Additionally, BET has added two new nomination categories to this year's show - "Made-You-Look Award" (Best Hip Hop Style) which will go to the ultimate trendsetter and "Best Hip-Hop Blog Site," which will go to the online site that consistently keeps hip-hop fans in the know non-stop.

The BET HIP HOP AWARDS will showcase "Hip Hop Cares" which highlights various community organizations and foundations powered by prominent rap super stars in the industry. This year BET will feature 50 Cents' G-Unity Foundation, Busta Rhymes' affiliation with RockCorps, Jim Jones' service to Entertainers Alliance for Education Foundation and Young Jeezy's Street Dreams Foundation as they give back to major causes affecting their communities and the hip hop community at large.

BET once again teams up with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards® and the seven record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen G. Hill, BET President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris-Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, are executive producers of the telecast.

For additional information, visit BET.com.

*All times ET/PT

SOURCE BET Networks

Kanye West and Lady Gaga today officially announced dates for one of the most anticipated tours of the year - "Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga." After months of planning, the multiplatinum artists will unite for 34 shows in 34 cities that will stretch musical boundaries with their distinctive performance styles and production. "Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga" will be produced by Live Nation. Tickets go on sale to the general public in select markets beginning September 25th at www.LiveNation.com.

"Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga" kicks-off at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ on November 10 and runs through January 24 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Kanye West fan club members will have the first opportunity to buy tickets in select markets, beginning Tuesday, September 22nd. Citi is the official credit card of "Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga." Citi cardmembers will have special access to purchase presale tickets beginning Thursday, September 24 at 10:00 a.m. Local Time through Citi's Private Pass(R) program. For complete presale details visit: www.citiprivatepass.com.

In just five years, Kanye West has sold over 15 million albums worldwide, and garnered 30 Grammy nominations and 12 Grammy wins. His celebrated tours, including '07's groundbreaking and critically lauded 'Glow in the Dark Tour,' have played to more than one million fans the world over and have proven him to be a major touring force.

"Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga" is the follow-up to Lady Gaga's sold-out international "Fame Ball" tour. Her album, "The Fame," has sold more than four million copies worldwide, and her singles have sold over 25 million digital copies. Lady Gaga is only the third artist in history to have three #1 songs ("Just Dance," "Poker Face," and "LoveGame") from a debut album.

Kanye West fan club information can be found at www.FameKillsTour.com. Additional ticket and tour information can be found at www.LiveNation.com.

Dates, cities and venues for "Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West & Lady Gaga" are below. Dates and venues are subject to change.

    2009
    November 10th   Phoenix, AZ       US Airways               26-Sep  10am
    November 11th   San Diego, CA     San Diego Sports Arena   26-Sep  12noon
    November 13th   Las Vegas, NV     Mandalay Bay Events Ctr  26-Sep  10am
    November 15th   Anaheim, CA       Honda Center             26-Sep  10am
    November 16th   Los Angeles, CA   Staples Center           26-Sep  10am
    November 18th   Sacramento, CA    Arco Arena               25-Sep  12noon
    November 19th   San Jose, CA      HP Pavilion              26-Sep  10am
    November 24th   Vancouver, BC     GM Place                 25-Sep  10am
    November 26th   Calgary, AB       Pengrowth Saddledome     25-Sep  10am
    November 28th   Edmonton, AB      Rexall Place             25-Sep  10am
    November 29th   Saskatoon, SK     Credit Union Center      25-Sep  10am
    December 2nd    Denver, CO        Pepsi Center             TBA
    December 4th    St. Louis, MO     Scottrade Center         3-Oct   10am
    December 9th    Miami, FL         American Airlines Arena  TBA
    December 11th   Atlanta, GA       Philips Arena            3-Oct   12noon
    December 12th   Greensboro, NC    Greensboro Coliseum      TBA
    December 13th   Norfolk, VA       Scope Arena              10-Oct  10am
    December 16th   Worcester, MA     DCU Center               TBA
    December 18th   Philadelphia, PA  Wachovia Center          TBA
    December 19th   Baltimore, MD     1st Mariner Arena        9-Oct   10am
    December 20th   Buffalo, NY       HSBC Arena               3-Oct   11am
    December 22nd   East Rutherford,  Izod Center              3-Oct   10am
                     NJ
    December 23rd   Cleveland, OH     Quicken Loans Arena      TBA
    December 26th   Hartford, CT      XL Center                3-Oct   10am
    December 30th   Washington, DC    Verizon Center           2-Oct   12noon
    2010
    January 3rd     Uniondale, NJ     Nassau Coliseum          3-Oct   10am
    January 6th     Toronto, ON       Air Canada Centre        3-Oct   1pm
    January 8th     Ottawa, ON        Scotiabank Place         3-Oct   1pm
    January 11th    Montreal, QC      Bell Center              3-Oct   12noon
    January 14th    Detroit, MI       Palace of Auburn Hills   TBA
    January 16th    Chicago, IL       United Center            2-Oct   12noon
    January 21st    San Antonio, TX   AT&T Center              10-Oct  10am
    January 22nd    Houston, TX       Toyota Center            TBA
    January 24th    Dallas, TX        American Airlines Center TBA
    *TBA - On sale date to be announced.

Source: Live Nation

BET will interrupt its wildly popular daily series, 106 & PARK to bring you Jay Z - uncut, uncensored and surprisingly open about his life experiences. "FOOD FOR THOUGHT: CONVERSATIONS WITH JAY Z" will premiere exclusively on BET, Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.* Join NY radio personality, Angie Martinez; sports commentator, Stephen A. Smith and music journalist, Harry Allen as they share an intimate lunch with Jay Z taped at Sequioa's restaurant on Pier 17, South Street Seaport in New York City.

Jay Z eloquently touches on his highly anticipated release of the Blueprint 3, which debuts September 11; his recent meeting with Oprah in Brooklyn, his dinner meeting with President Barack Obama, his marriage to Beyonce, and how he's aging gracefully in this industry as he approaches 40. No topic is off limits.

*All times ET/PT

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

"VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009" will be taped from the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York. "30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan returns as host for the 3rd year, as he will be joined many of hip-hop's biggest luminaries. The "VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009" broadcast will premiere on VH1 on Tuesday, October 13 at 9PM ET/PT.*

Def Jam has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in music history and has inspired other emerging labels and artists. Special homage will be paid to the architects of the label, Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, Lyor Cohen, Julie Greenwald, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Antonio "L.A." Reid (Chairman Island Def Jam Music Group). Presenters and performers honor the history and the legacy of Def Jam Records through never-seen-before interviews, archival footage and special musical performances of some of Def Jam's greatest hits. It promises to be a night that will showcase how Def Jam came and remains to be one of the premier record labels of hip-hop music.

Hip Hop fans can go to HipHop.VH1.com now to comment on this year's line-up and to weigh in on what they'd like to hear at this year's celebration. Additionally, on Monday, September 14, VH1 will launch the full show site at HipHop.VH1.com with artist profiles, exclusive online programming, show information and more. Additional VH1.com and VH1 Mobile efforts for "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" will be announced in the coming weeks.

"VH1 Hip Hop Honors" is executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1 and Jac Benson for Blacjac Entertainment. Louis J. Horvitz will direct. Nelson George and Fab 5 Freddie are co-executive producers.

"VH1 Hip Hop Honors" is sponsored by Rhapsody(R) and Taco Bell(R).

For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases and photographs, visit VH1's press-only Web site at www.vh1.com/press.

Taped From The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York

"30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan Returns as Host for the Third Time to Commemorate One of the Greatest Record Labels of Hip Hop

Back for its sixth year saluting the best in hip hop, VH1's Hip Hop Honors 2009 will celebrate the achievements of one of hip hop's greatest brands -- Def Jam Records. The music event will tape from the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New York, and air on VH1 on Tuesday, October 13 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

VH1's Hip Hop Honors 2009 celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Def Jam in a show filled with the stars of this venerable label, as well as funny, painful and inspiring stories from its most renowned creators. Hosting for the third time is "'30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan. This year, the music, the influence and the artists from Def Jam's history past and present will be recognized through performances in collaboration with some of today's hottest talent. Generations of hip hop will bridge the gap for one exceptional night to set it off with the original style and flavor that sparked and inspired the evolution of this now global music phenomenon. Previous celebrations have honored hip hop luminaries who broke new ground and propelled the genre into the true cultural phenomenon that it has become. Last year's honorees included Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, Slick Rick and Too $hort. Additional talent will be announced as it is confirmed.

VH1's Hip Hop Honors 2009 is the first time that the show has honored a record label. For 25 years, Def Jam created the stars that pushed hip hop culture forward, including LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Jay Z, Kanye West, Slick Rick, Rick Ross and Rihanna. The men behind the scenes are as legendary as its artists, including Rick Rubin, Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles and LA Reid. The Def Jam brand didn't just innovate in music, it also launched a breakthrough comedy show (Def Comedy Jam), a dynamic spoken-word showcase (Def Poetry Jam), and set trends in fashion, film and advertising. Def Jam led a cultural movement that changed the world.

"It is impossible to pay tribute to the best in hip hop without recognizing Def Jam Records. Throughout the years VH1 has honored numerous artists from the Def Jam label, but due to the magnificent impact that Def Jam as a company has made on not only hip hop culture but pop culture as a whole, we thought they definitely deserved the opportunity to be honored," says Lee Rolontz, EVP of Music Production.

Performances and other video elements from "VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009" will be available on VH1.com and VH1 Mobile leading up to and following the on-air premiere of the show. Honoree profiles, exclusive online programming, show information and more will be available on VH1.com this summer.

"VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009" is executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1 and Jac Benson for blacjac Entertainment. Louis J. Horvitz will direct. Nelson George and Fab 5 Freddie are co-executive producers.

*All times ET/PT

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

Source: VH1

Fast & Furious Movie Soundtrack Features New Music by Pitbull, Busta Rhymes, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Kenna, Rye Rye, Shark City Click, Tasha, and Robin Thicke

The Fast & Furious (on Interscope/Star Trak) all-star soundtrack album features new music by Pitbull, Busta Rhymes, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Kenna, Rye Rye, Shark City Click, Tasha, and Robin Thicke, and productions by The Neptunes. Six of the eleven tracks were recorded for the soundtrack. The first eSingle is "Blanco" by Pitbull, featuring Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes. The "Blanco" video premiered last week.

The fourth installment of Fast & Furious was the biggest film in the world this weekend, grossing over $100 million. In the United States, the film brought in more than $72 million, the biggest April movie opening ever.

In Fast & Furious, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for this ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller.

The final sequence for the Fast & Furious original motion picture soundtrack album is: 1. "Bang" - Rye Rye * 2. "G-Stro" - Busta Rhymes (produced by The Neptunes) * 3. "Loose Wires" - Kenna (produced by The Neptunes) * 4. "Blanco" - Pitbull (produced by The Neptunes) * 5. "Krazy" - Pitbull * 6. "You Slip, She Grip" - Pitbull and Tego Calderon (produced by The Neptunes) * 7. "Head Bust" - Shark City Click (produced by The Neptunes) * 8. "Bad Girls" - Pitbull featuring Robin Thicke (produced by The Neptunes) * 9. "Virtual Diva" - Don Omar * 10. "La Isla Bonita" - Tasha * album bonus track: 11. "Blanco (The Strictly Spanish Mix)" - Pitbull (produced by The Neptunes).

SOURCE Interscope Records