De La Soul, Slick Rick Among VH1's Hip Hop Honorees

VH1's Hip Hop Honors have revealed the five acts who'll be honored at the event's fifth ceremony. If you're a fan of late-'80s/early-'90s rap, this event is pretty can't-miss, as De La Soul, Naughty By Nature, Cypress Hill, Too $hort and Slick Rick will all be celebrated. "This year's five honorees are being recognized for their significant contributions to hip hop culture and for helping to elevate hip-hop into a truly global phenomenon," said Tom Calderone, VH1's Executive Vice President and General Manager. More guest performances will be announced shortly. This year's special will air October 7th and will once again be hosted by 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan. VH1.com will also launch a Website dedicated to the Hip Hop Honors soon.

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Song Stories

“Message in a Bottle”

The Police | 1979

"Roxanne" was the band's first bona fide hit, and Sting wondered if he could top it, which is where the genesis for the Police's second big hit came from. "Then I wrote 'Message in a Bottle,' which was better than 'Roxanne'," the Police frontman said. Sting admitted he developed the lyrics around the title. "I don't write the first line of a song. It's a mistake. Then you have to come up with a second. I had this 'Message in a Bottle.' What's 'Message in a Bottle' about? It's usually about some guy with ragged trousers and a beard on a desert island."

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