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NEWS : STORIES
The 2008 edition of MTV News' "Hottest MCs in the Game" will be revealed on MTV on Friday at 10 p.m. ET. In the days leading up to the extravaganza, everyone from artists to
1. Lil Wayne Since Wayne was anointed numero uno by the MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust last year, just about every other media outlet has joined in the Wayne-Mania (Waynia?). Even Rolling Stone recently crowned him as the most invigorating spitter on earth. You'd have more luck convincing his fans that the New England Patriots won the last Super Bowl than you would getting to them to believe that the forthcoming Tha Carter III won't be the classic they've been waiting three years for. 2. T.I. Tip pulled a great G-move in August by getting 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ciara, Diddy and Swizz Beatz to join him onstage during his concert at Madison Square Garden. However, he hit a severe bump when he was arrested on a litany of gun charges in November. He plea-bargained earlier this year, and as he waits to begin his sentence, he's hard at work with community service — and a new album, Paper Trail, which is due in August. 3. Game After two classic albums (but no Blood Brothers mixtape with Lil Wayne as promised — at least not yet), Game took some time out to be a dad, make a couple of more films (he was recently seen in "Street Kings," getting the short end of the stick) and concoct what he thinks is the best album of his short career, 4. Andre 3000 Andre has stuck to his game plan from 2007: maximum impact, minimal output. He's only done a handful of guest appearances since the last list, but his wordplay has been so sterling, he's still heralded as one of the premier lyricists in the game. 5. Kanye West An underdog in the SoundScan face-off with 50 Cent last September, 'Ye not only delivered the more acclaimed body of work, he also sold more records. West took some time off to cope with the passing of his mother, but has come back strong with videos for "Flashing Lights," and "Homecoming," and his Glow in the Dark Tour continues to draw rave reviews and capacity crowds. 6. Young Jeezy Jeezy's third album is still a thing of mystery: There's been no title or releases date announced, and he hasn't even confirmed that the new song "Put On" (with Kanye West) is even going to be on it. One thing is a given: Everyone is waiting to hear it. With new mainstream recognition gained from his work with Mariah Carey and Usher, the Snowman's forthcoming LP looks likely to be his highest seller. Hip-hop collaborations with Shawty Lo, Rocko and Lupe Fiasco have also kept Mr. 17.5's visibility on the street level at a premium. 7. Jay-Z He rebounded from the middling reception of Kingdom Come with one of last year's best works, American Gangster. Although he stepped down as president of Def Jam Records in December, he remains omnipotent with wealth and influence: You heard Jay break down the math on his "Blow the Whistle" freestyle. If you took a Hollywood A-List star's $20 million-per-feature-film salary for seven films, you still wouldn't have the cake Hove just made in his deal with Live Nation. The entertainment company invested a honey bun and a half (a reported $150 million dollars) for his services, including tours and three more albums ... Plus, he may or may not have married Beyonceé (wink, wink). 8. 50 Cent Curtis might have come in second to Kanye West's Graduation in the release-date faceoff last September, but selling over 600,000 units in his first week was far from catching an L. The G-Unit are currently one member less (since Young Buck was asked to excuse himself from the group), however, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo are determined to make the group keep their stride. The Unit re-committed themselves to the mixtape circuit the last six months with three releases and have a full LP, Terminate on Sight, coming in early July. 9. Common They're ready for your close-up, Mr. Lynn! Common impressed the world just by getting so many roles in Hollywood since the last laugh, but what's even more overwhelming is the diversity of his picks. Even with his Green Lantern role in "Justice League" on ice for now, he's been tapped for the next "Terminator" picture as well as the June 27 Angelina Jolie action vehicle "Wanted." On the music side, he's working on an EP as well as an album. The fact that he's been linked to the ultra-voluptuous Serena Williams isn't a bad look either. 10. Jim Jones Hustlas hustle: Jim Jones signed a new deal with Sony in the past year, and he continues to keep the Diplomat brand in demand while building up his Byrd Gang camp. Jim's next LP should be out later this year, and he's starting to heat things up with cameos and a few new records. As everyone should know, just because an MC made the list last year, that by no means guarantees that he will this time, so brace yourself for more surprises! This report is provided by MTV News
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