The 2008 show was hosted by T-Pain.
Performances
"What Up, What's Haapnin'"/"Swing Ya Rag"/"The Last of a Dying Breed"/"On Top of the World" - T.I. Feat.Ludacris, Swizz Beatz & B.o.B "Hero" - Nas Feat. Keri Hilson "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" - Plies Feat. Ne-Yo "Crazy World" - Young Jeezy "Cha Cha Cha" - MC Lyte "Play With My Yoyo" - Yo-Yo "Afro Puffs" - The Lady of Rage "Shoop"/"Push It"/"Whatta Man" - Salt-n-Pepa "Here I Am" - Rick Ross Feat. Nelly & Avery Storm "Universal Mind Control"/"Spaz" - Common featuring N.E.R.D "Can't Believe It"/"Chopped & Skrewed" - T-Pain Feat. Lil Wayne & Ludacris "Why Me"/"It Was a Good Day" - Ice Cube Feat. Musiq Soulchild "Marco Polo (song)" - Bow Wow Feat. Soulja Boy
Cyphers
Cypher 1 - Hurricane Chris, K'naan, Bun B, & Q-Tip
Cypher 2 - Willy Northpole, Hime, Blaq Poet, & Cory Gunz
Cypher 3 - Ace Hood, Juelz Santana, Fabolous, & Jadakiss
Winners and nominations
Best Hip Hop Video
Kanye West featuring T-Pain – "Good Life" David Banner featuring Chris Brown and Yung Joc – "Get Like Me" Common – "I Want You" DJ Khaled featuring Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross – "I'm So Hood (Remix)" Lil Wayne featuring Static Major – "Lollipop" Snoop Dogg – "Sensual Seduction"
Best Hip Hop Collaboration
DJ Khaled featuring Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross – "I'm So Hood (Remix)" David Banner featuring Chris Brown and Yung Joc – "Get Like Me" Flo Rida featuring T-Pain – "Low" Plies featuring Ne-Yo – "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" Kanye West featuring T-Pain – "Good Life"
Best Live Performer
Kanye West
Busta Rhymes
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
T.I.
Lyricist of the Year
Lil Wayne
Jay-Z
Nas
T.I. Kanye West
Video Director of the Year
Chris Robinson
Gil Green
R. Malcolm Jones
Rage
Hype Williams
Producer of the Year
Akon
Bangladesh
David Banner
J.R. Rotem
The Runners
MVP of the Year
Lil Wayne
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
T.I. Kanye West
Track of the Year
? "A Milli" – Produced by Bangladesh (Lil Wayne) "Dey Know" – Produced by Balis Beatz (Shawty Lo) "Good Life" – Produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp (Kanye West featuring T-Pain) "Lollipop" – Produced by Jim Jonsin and Deezle (Lil Wayne featuring Static Major) "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." – Produced by Sean Combs and The Hitmen (Jay-Z)
CD of the Year
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III
Jay-Z – American Gangster
Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
Nas – Untitled
Kanye West – Graduation
Who New? Rookie of the Year
Shawty Lo
Ace Hood
Flo Rida
Maino
Rocko
DJ of the Year
DJ Khaled
DJ Drama
DJ Felli Fel
DJ Tony Neal
DJ Greg Street
Hustler of the Year
P. Diddy
50 Cent
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
Alltel Wireless People’s Champ Award
Lil Wayne – "A Milli" Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos – "Superstar" Plies featuring Ne-Yo – "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" Rick Ross featuring Nelly and Avery Storm – "Here I Am" Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West – "Put On" Yung Berg featuring Casha – "The Business"
Hottest Hip Hop Ringtone of the Year
Lil Wayne featuring Static Major – "Lollipop" Flo Rida featuring T-Pain – "Low" Plies featuring Ne-Yo – "Bust It Baby Pt. 2" Rocko – "Umma Do Me" Yung Berg featuring Casha – "The Business"