The Tenth Anniversary of the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival (July 27-Aug 2, 2009) will be screening the independent film Rhyme Animal (directed by Phil Roc and co-written /co-produced by Aaron Schnore and Billy Fox).

Rhyme Animal tells the tale of DJ Judah (Al Thompson), a Brooklyn DJ who rides the coat tails of a rising hip hop star, Shiva (Craig muMs Grant). As the rapper’s reputation grows, his lyrics become twisted, cannibalistic…yet prophetic. As killings occur, DJ Judah is forced to ask if Shiva’s sinister lyrics are an act or those of a cannibalistic serial killer.

Accolades for the film include Winner Best Short Film of the Spaghetti Junction Urban Film Festival and Finalist of the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) Independent Pilot Competition and National Association of Television Program Executives’ NextTV Competition. It was an Official Selection at the Cannes-Short Film Corner, Brooklyn International Film Festival, Coney Island International Film Festival, and the Rhythm of the Line Hip Hop Film Festival.

Rhyme Animal screens at the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival on Sunday, Aug 2 at SVA Theater Screen 1 at 5:15pm. You can get more information about the film at www.rhymeanimalmovie.com. For mare information about the HBO New York International Latino Film Festival visit www.NYLatinoFilm.com

According to hiphopdx.com, VH1 has chosen to focus this year’s Hip Hop Honors show solely on the legendary Hip Hop label, Def Jam.

The show, will air on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 9:00 PM, will commemorate the storied label’s 25 years in the industry, including segments on founders Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. Also a part of the event, as is now customary, many Hip Hop stars will show to perform some of the label’s biggest hits, both past and present. None of the performers have been announced as of yet.

The sixth annual event will be hosted by comedian Tracy Morgan for the third time in a row.

The Grammy Awards were handed out last night in usual spectacular fashion.  Lil’ Wayne did not take home the award for Album of the Year, but did when Rap Album of the Year.  Check out grammy.com for all of the results.

There were plenty of hip hop performances thoughout last night’s show.  Check them out here:

The Rap Pack (Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I.) and M.I.A.

T.I. and Justine Tiimberlake

Lil Wayne, Robin Thicke, and Allen Toussaint

Kanye West and Estelle

More pictures below:

The 51st Annual Grammy Award show is airing live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles tonight at 8 p.m. eastern time on CBS. Hip hop will be represented tonight as many artist are up for some big awards, including Lil’ Wayne for Album of the Year (I’ll keep my comments to myself…) and M.I.A. for Record of the Year with “Paper Planes”.

Reportedly, M.I.A. will be performing along with TI, Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne. What makes this news? Well M.I.A. is 9 months pregnant (her due date is today!) so hopefully she can last the whole show. The Record of the Year category is one of the big three awards announced late in telecast (Album of the Year and Song of the Year are the other two). Tune in tonight and let’s see what happens.

Congratulations to hip hop pioneers Run-DMC (Joseph “Reverend Run” Simmons, Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels, and the late Jason “Jam-Master Jay” Mizell) for their upcoming induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this April.

Run-DMC is being recognized for its influence on pop culture in general, as the first group to bring Hip-Hop music to a mainstream audience. 

Other performers to be inducted include Jeff Beck, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Metallica, and Bobby Womack with Bill Black, DJ Fontana, and Spooner Oldham in the “Sidemen” category, and Wanda Jackson in the “Early Influence” category.

Some of Run-DMC’s acheivements include:

• the first major rap group to appear on American Bandstand
• the first rap act to chart in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 more than once
• the first rap group to hit top ten on a pop chart
• the first rap act to release an RIAA-certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum album
• the first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine
• the first rap act be nominated for a Grammy Award
• the first rappers to have a video on MTV
• the first to get a sneaker deal

The 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will also mark the return of the annual event to the Rock and Roll Museum’s home of Cleveland, Ohio, for the first time in 12 years.  As part of a new three-year between the Foundation and cable network Fuse TV, the ceremony will also be broadcast on April 4, 2009 and simultaneously telecast at www.fuse.tv

This is great news.  Of course Grandmaster Flash anf the Furious Five was the first rap act to be inducted in to the hall of fame in 2007.  Run and DMC continue to make a splash in television with Run’s show Run’s House and DMC on the reality-show circuit. Two Turntables And A Microphone was a recent documentary about Jam Master Jay that premiered last summer.

Run-DMC performing in Krush Groove

Yo, everybody’s favorite rap group (well, at least mine), De La Soul, is being honored at this year’s VH1 Hip Hop Honors. They will be recognized along with Too Short, Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature, and hip hop’s greatest storyteller, Slick Rick.

“VH1 Hip Hop Honors has come to represent the pinnacle of innovation and achievement in hip hop music,” Tom Calderone, Executive Vice President and General Manager of VH1 said in a press release. “This year’s five honorees are no different and are being recognized for their significant contributions to hip hop culture and for helping to elevate hip hop into a truly global phenomenon.

I, for one, am happy about this year’s line up of honorees. Now all I need to see is EPMD get in there!

The show will be premiering on VH1 and VH1 Soul on October 7 at 10 p.m.

SOHH.com is reporting that while on New York radio station Hot 97 recently, N.E.R.D. front man Pharrell Williams revealed to host Angie Martinez that the band is gearing for the release of their first film, directed by legendary hip-hop video director and filmmaker, Hype Williams. The movie, which is not yet titled, will depict the trio’s musical journey from the recording process to tours.

“[The movie] is going to be like The Beatles’ Hard Day’s Night,” Pharrell revealed. “[It's a] full length film. It’s for our fans.”

This can be a boost to there music if done well. Not a lot of people who are familiar with the Neptunes sound are even aware that they have a group called N.E.R.D. (that makes some dope music too). I have a feeling that this won’t be as huge as similar film like Jay-Z’s Fade to Black, just because of artist recognition. But hopefully it will be interesting enough to garner some interest.

Also be on the lookout for N.E.R.D.’s new disc, Seeing Sounds, which is slated for release on June 10.

So Diddy is keeping the hollywood/hip hop legacy going strong.  According to an Allhiphop.com article Sean Combs became the first male rapper (Will Smith received a star in 2007) to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 2, during a ceremony that drew the largest crowd in the event’s history. Fans wearing Sean John “Harlem to Hollywood” t-shirts packed Hollywood Boulevard, while fans with posters screamed “Diddy” and “Bad Boy” as they welcomed Combs.

Queen Latifah won another award for her performance in HBO’s Life Support which aired on the network last March.  This time it was a Screen Actor’s Guild Award for Best Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries.  She also won a Golden Globe earlier this month for the same role.

She was not in attendance to receive her award but presenter Mickey Rooney graciously accepted the award for “Miss Latifah.”

Congratulations goes out to the Queen once again.

Congratulations go to Queen Latifah who won a Golden Globe for Best Perfomance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for her starring rolein HBO’s Life Support.

Latifah can also be seen in her new comedy Mad Money which opens January 18.