Producer Timbaland was honored as “Songwriter of the Year” at the 25th Annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Pop Music Awards this past Wednesday (Apr. 9). Timbo had been recognized by the organization twice before as “Rhythm and Soul Songwriter of the Year.” This year, he took the prize for his contributions to “The Way I Are” (featuring Keri Hilson, D.O.E. and Sebastian), “Give It To Me” (featuring Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado), Omarion’s “Ice Box,” Fabolous’s "Make Me Better,” Nelly Furtado’s “Say It Right,” and Justin Timberlake’s “My Love,” “Summer Love/Set The Mood,” “Until The End Of Time,” and “What Goes Around...Comes Around.”

Lil' Mama is gearing up to release her debut album, Voice of the Young People at the end of this month (Apr. 29) and so far the teenaged rapper’s breakthrough single, “Lip Gloss” already has cinematic quality. According to Variety.com, Screen Gems President Clint Culpepper was inspired to make a hip-hop musical version of English novelist Jane Austen’s “Emma” after watching the “Lip Gloss” video. The movie will likely be renamed “Emme” and feature at least 15 song and dance numbers in an inner city setting. “Now it’s urban,” Culpepper said. “This is the way it should be reimagined in the new millennium.”

The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is gathering this Saturday (Apr. 12) for the “Mind Over Matter Chess and Grappling Exhibition” hosted by Wu-Tang co-founder RZA. The Menio Park, CA meeting is to demonstrate how lessons learned in chess and martial arts apply to the real world and offer an alternative to lesser mind choices like violence, reports ThugArmyLife.com. Rakaa of Dilated Peoples and Casual of the Hieroglyphics will also be there. For more information, visit HipHopChessFederation.org.