A CELEBRATION OF HIP HOP FEATURING TRIBUTES TO DJ KOOL HERC,
DJ HOLLYWOOD, KRS-ONE, PUBLIC ENEMY, ROCK STEADY CREW, RUN DMC, SUGARHILL GANG, TUPAC

SHAKUR AND THE GRAFFITI MOVEMENT

With Performances By Nas, Beastie Boys, Fat Joe, Kid Rock, Public Enemy,
Sugarhill Gang, Chic, MC Hammer And Grandmaster Flash

NEW YORK, NY, September 21, 2004 – “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” will celebrate one of the most significant and innovative musical forces since the emergence of rock ‘n roll by honoring DJ Kool Herc, DJ Hollywood, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Rock Steady Crew, Run DMC, Sugarhill Gang, Tupac Shakur and The Graffiti Movement – the players who broke new ground and pioneered the genre into a true cultural phenomenon -- on Tuesday, October 12 at 9PM*.

Hosted by Vivica A. Fox and Emmy-nominated Mos Def, “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” will be taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Sunday, October 3. Ice T, Kid Rock, Fat Joe, MC Hammer and Grandmaster Flash join previously announced performers/presenters Nas, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Sugarhill Gang, Chic, and Afeni Shakur. Additional performers/presenters will be announced shortly.

The music and influence of each of the honorees will be recognized through performances by classic artists in collaboration with today’s hottest new talent. Generations of hip hop will come together for one exceptional night to set it off with the original style and flavor that sparked and inspired the evolution of the music.

*all times ET/PT

VH1.com's “Hip Hop Honors” website presents artist nominee profiles, and an exclusive hip hop timeline, where you can trace hip hop's revolutionary history from its birth in the Bronx to its worldwide domination. VH1.com also has exclusive ringtones from Jay-Z, Flavor Flav, LL Cool J, De La Soul and more.

The show is sponsored by T-Mobile, Taco Bell Corp., Nike, Sony Electronics, Colgate MaxFresh, Bacardi, and Hyundai Tuscan.

“VH1 Hip Hop Honors” will be executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1 and Jac Benson for Blackjac Entertainment. Louis J. Horvitz will be the director. Nelson George and Fab Five Freddie are consulting producers.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in over 86 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, VH1 Mega Hits and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at www.VH1.com.

VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. M

TV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.

# # #