2008 changed the face of Hip Hop for sure. Lil Wayne finally released his long awaited 'Tha Carter III' which to some was a classic rap album and to others proved just how over rated of a rapper he is. Kanye West threw away his rhyme book for an auto-tuner. And 50 Cent went back to the mixtape scene and grinded like he did in the beginning of his career. And you can't forget T.I. and his pre jail comeback with 'Paper Trail'. But who rocked the mic the hardest out of these guys in 2008?

List by: Music Critic Vin Funaro 

5-50 Cent- With his less than stellar success with 2007's 'Curtis' album 50 Cent must have saw a need to return to his roots. Constant complaints from fans and artists alike claiming he made too many "commercial records" must have finally gotten to his head. He started out 2008 releasing 'Return of the Body Snatchers Mixtape' with his G-Unit partners Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Although the mixtape got rave reviews, the album released by G-Unit 'Terminate On Sight' missed the bar as a strong follow up selling around 200,000 copies in its first week. He did hype us up for his new album 'Before I Self Destruct' but has pushed it back to 2009. The album's supposed to be more hardcore so hopefully it will mimic the success the the 'Return of The Body Snatchers Mixtape' and bump him up a couple notches for 2009.

4-Lupe Fiasco- Lupe Fiasco returned in 2008 with his album 'The Cool' which was actually a song from his previous album 'Food and Liquor'. His kick off single 'Superstar' blazed mainstream American radio solidifying his name among Hip Hop's hottest artists. Lupe Fiasco even earned a shout out in T.I.'s '56 Bars' making T.I.'s list of Hip Hop greats. He definitely left his mark this year and fans are eagerly awaiting his third and supposedly final album 'LupE.N.D'.

3-Kanye West-Kanye West would probably be higher on this list if he hadn't surrendered his rhyme book for an auto-tuner. But there's no doubt he had some killer verses this year like in Young Jeezy's 'Put On' and T.I.'s 'Swagga Like Us'. And the funny thing is his album '808's and Heartbreak' turned out to be pretty hot and original for the rapper turned singer. Kanye West's song 'Heartless' is all over American radio leaving his impact undeniable for 2008. Even if it is for singing.

2-Lil Wayne- Who's had a better year than Lil Wayne?  He's king of the headlines and his album 'Tha Carter III' has sold nearly 3 million copies. You can't forget his eight grammy nominations along with countless collaborations with other artists. Unfortunely his music and verses just don't seem to have the same spark he had in 2007 leaving him at number 2 on my list. Sorry Lil Wayne fans but I think the formerly hungry rapper has grown too comfortable with his mainstream success and 'Tha Carter III' didn't live up to the hype for me musically. I prefer 'Tha Carter II' and his 'Drought Mixtapes'.

1-T.I.- You can't deny the comeback kid of the year T.I. With a rocky 2007, including possession of machine gun charges, court dates and jail sentencing many people counted the 'King of the South' out of the rap game. But upon his return to writing his rhymes down, T.I. released the critically acclaimed 'Paper Trail' album in 2008 spawning three huge hits including 'Whatever You Like', 'Swagga Like Us' and 'Live Your Life'. Out of everyone on this list no one is facing the adversity T.I. is, and succeeding with radio spins, record sales and lyrical capabilities. T.I. without a doubt Rocked the Mic Right in 2008 making him my number one pick.

So who's going to Rock the Mic Right in 2009? Will Kanye West return to rapping? Will 50 Cent's 'Before I Self Destruct' return him to his number one spot on the billboard charts? Or will the long awaited comeback of Eminem over shadow all of these rappers making him the top rapper of 2009? We'll have to wait and see. Tell me what you think of my list for 2008 and who you think will rule next year.