Thug Life Army

The second annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors", in association with VH1.com, announces the launch of FREESTYLE 59, an online contest to seek out the best undiscovered hip hop rap MC’s in the country.

Five finalists will be selected by a celebrity panel of judges and flown to New York to record a video. One winner will be chosen by online and wireless voting, awarded $10,000 and announced during the second annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors," broadcast on September 26 at 9PM*.

This year's honorees include rap artists Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, Notorious B.I.G., Ice T, Salt -N- Pepa, and the film: Boyz N The Hood.

FREESTYLE 59 will challenge hip-hop rap MC's across the nation to show off their best rhymes in 59 seconds or less. Beginning on July 12th and running through August 8th, contestants will be able to post their videos on VH1.com, where viewers can then watch and vote for who they think should be crowned the 2005 Freestyle 59 King.

A panel of celebrity and music industry judges will be assembled to select five finalists to be flown to NYC for a taping of their performances. Four weeks leading up to the show, viewers will then vote for their favorite via text message and VH1.com, and each week, the MC with the least amount of votes will be cut from the competition until there is only one left. Judges on the panel include hip hop icon Chuck D, Executive Vice President of Artists and Repertoire (A&R) for Capitol Records Wendy Goldstein, Editor-In-Chief of XXL Magazine Elliot Wilson, and DJs from top radio stations across the country including Cipha Sounds (Hot 97 in New York City), DJ Felli Fel (Power 106 in Los Angeles), Poetess (KKBT in Los Angeles), DJ Vaughn Woods (WGCI in Chicago).