VH1 will once again honor the hip hop pioneers and legends that have made significant contributions to all aspects of pop culture with the fourth annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors. Hosted by Tracy Morgan, this year's honorees include Snoop Dogg, Whodini, Missy Elliot, Wild Style's 25th Anniversary and Teddy Riley and Andre Harrell for New Jack Swing.

Premiering on Monday, October 8 at 10 PM, VH1 Hip Hop Honors, will celebrate the players who broke new ground and pioneered the genre into a true cultural phenomenon. VH1 Hip Hop Honors will be taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Thursday, October 4. 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 bridge the gap for one exceptional night to set it off with the original style and flavor that sparked and inspired the evolution of the music. Additional performances and appearances will be announced shortly.

On July 23, VH1.com is launching THE SCORE, an online search to find the best, undiscovered hip hop producer in the country. VH1 will give one lucky producer the opportunity to heat up VH1's fourth annual hip hop celebration by awarding him or her with the opportunity to create and produce the official score of the annual, televised event. The winning score will be used during the broadcast of VH1 Hip Hop Honors. The creator will receive show credit and the opportunity to be mentored by an industry executive/producer during a session where the winning score will be professionally produced.

From July 23 through August 20, contestants can post their 60-second beats for consideration at hiphop.vh1.com. See site for official rules and guidelines. Three finalists will be selected by a panel of music industry judges. Viewers will then decide through online voting who has what it takes to create and produce this year's official score to VH1 Hip Hop Honors.

Additionally, in early September, VH1.com will launch a dedicated VH1 Hip Hop Honors Web site with honoree profiles, exclusive online content and more.