Following its return back to television last year after a six-year hiatus, Vh1’s annual Hop Hop Honors event is airing tonight on VH1, which pays tribute to artists and movements that have defined and influenced hip hop culture. Last year’s ceremony paid tribute to the ladies of hip hop, and this year’s event will salute the “90’s Game Changers,” paying homage to that era of hip hop, television, and film. Honorees include Martin Lawrence, Mariah Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Master P, and director Hype Williams.
Actress Regina Hall hosted the star studded event Monday night, while DJ Khaled, Tichina Arnold, Faith Evans, and Timbaland took the stage to present awards throughout the evening.
The event saw several performers taking the stage in its support, including last year’s honoree Missy Elliott, who opened the ceremony with a performance of “She’s a Bitch,” emerging from a pool of water sporting the black latex bodysuit to recreate the song’s 1999 music video directed by Hype Williams.
Later, Lil Kim, Havoc and Fabolous honored the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and Martin Lawrence was saluted for his popular ’90s sitcom “Martin.” Meanwhile Trick Daddy, Trina, Romeo, and Xscape later also performed a medley of Southern hits from the 90’s, before Southern executives Jermaine Dupri and Master P accepted trophies for their influential, independent labels, So So Def and No Limit Records, respectively.
“They said hip-hop was going to [last] four or five years. Twenty five years later, we are owning businesses,” said Master P. “This is only the beginning.”
Other performers that took the stage include Ty Dolla Sign, Dat Brat, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, The Lox, Fabolous, Havoc & Teyana Taylor, who took the stage with her broken foot to perform "Rump Shaker" by Wreckx-N-Effect.
Taped Sunday night at Los Angeles’s Paramount Studios, check out some of the performances & highlights from the event (below), and we'll continue to update the performances as they surface.