Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott to be honored at VH1's 'Hip-Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens'

NEW YORK, June 15 (UPI) -- Queen Latifah and Missy Elliott will be honored during VH1's upcoming Hip-Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens special, the network has announced.

The event set to air live from New York City on July 11, will mark a return for the program after a six-year hiatus.

"VH1's Hip-Hop Honors is back celebrating the best and brightest in hip hop with a twist," VH1 noted in a statement. "This year's live event will pay homage to the female pioneers, trailblazers and trend-setters who led a movement and infiltrated the ranks of the male-dominated genre to make their voices heard and still do today. Additional hugely influential female artists being honored will be announced later this week."

Elliott having sold more than 30 million records over her career along with five Grammy Awards and memorable hits such as "Get Ur Freak On," "One Minute Man," and "Work It," is more than deserving of the honor along with Latifah who released the first album by a female MC to reach gold status with 1993's Black Reign.

Latifah who got her start in hip-hop before her lucrative acting career took off, also earned a Grammy in 1994 for Best Solo Rap Performance and will be executive producing the show through her entertainment company Flavor Unit according to Billboard.

VH1's Hip-Hop Honors first debuted in 2004 and has since paid homage to Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and MC Lyte.