Too $hort	De La Soul	Cypress Hill

In what has become one of hip-hop’s most celebrated annual events, the 2008 VH1 Hip Hop Honors are always a sonic and visually memorable experience. From Big Daddy Kane’s legendary performance in 2005, to the reunited Wu-Tang Clan in 2006, to Nas’ salute to the late, great 2Pac in 2004, the show is a snapshot of the last 30 years of great hip-hop music.

Naughty By Nature

This year’s honorees include quirky innovators De La Soul, legendary storyteller Slick Rick, West Coast godfather Too $hort, Chicano hip-hop pioneers Cypress Hill, and underrated ‘90s superstars Naughty by Nature. These greats are the latest in a long line of legends of the genre, and each one is deserving of the honor. Too $hort arguably put West Coast hip-hop on the national map, and has maintained a steady career for 25 years. Slick Rick “The Ruler” has some of the most quoted lines in all of rap music and is widely considered one of the greatest MCs of all time. As the act that catapulted the Native Tongues collective into the national spotlight, De La Soul paved the way for ‘alternative rap’ acts, ranging from A Tribe Called Quest to Slum Village to The Cool Kids. Likewise Cypress Hill was the first Hispanic rap act to gain national attention, opening the door for artists like Fat Joe, Big Pun, Pitbull and Chingo Bling. Naughty by Nature mastered the balancing act between pop appeal and street cred — releasing catchy summer anthems and gritty hard-core rap with equal aplomb.

As the 30th anniversary of recorded hip-hop approaches, it’s always enjoyable to look back at the previous three decades and celebrate the richness, diversity and lasting impact of the genre that has defined its era. As the music continues to grow and mature, its history is still being written. From beepers to BlackBerrys®, hip-hop lives. 
–todd williams