2008 in hip hop music

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2008.

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Events

January

• The Game states that after his third album, L.A.X., he will retire.[1]
• Freekey Zeekey states that all is well with Dipset, and they are working on new projects.[2]
• Rick Ross says that Trilla will be one of the best albums of 2008, and that he and Birdman are recording an album together, as well as making a movie together.[3]
• 50 Cent, Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, and Wyclef Jean are listed in the Albany, New York Times Union list of steroid trafficking.[4]
• Eminem was rushed to the hospital due to complications of pneumonia, and reports said his weight had exceeded 200 pounds.[5]
• Twista launches a new label called the Get Money Gang.[6]
• Flo Rida breaks a digital sales record, by selling over 470,000 digital units in one week.[7]
• Nate Dogg suffers a stroke.[8]
• L.A. Reid is named Def Jam President, after Jay-Z stepped down to pursue other options.[9]
• Joell Ortiz leaves Aftermath Entertainment after not being able to produce music at the rate he wanted to.[10]

February

• Devin the Dude leaves Rap-a-Lot Records.[11]
• A tabloid is circulated, that says Benzino was with Fat Joe's wife in the past, but the magazine was later found out to be fake.[12]
• MTV president Christina Norman leaves her position.[13]
• The Game was given 2 months in jail because of his several incidents of violence.[14]
• DJ Khaled initializes a label under Def Jam, called We The Best Music. He signs his first artist, Ace Hood.[15]
• Ruthless Records returns, with help from Sony. Eazy-E's wife Tomica Woods-Wright is the CEO of the re-formed company.[16]
• Nas says his album, Nigger, will be released in April.[17]
• TVT Records (home of Lil Jon, Ying Yang Twins, and Pitbull) closes down after 22 years in the business.[18]
• Lil Wayne says his album, Tha Carter III, will be released in April.[19]
• Producer and songwriter Static Major dies.[20]
• KRS-One and DJ Revolution sign to Duck Down Records.[21]
• Fat Joe and 50 Cent's feud continues, with Fat Joe saying that in a fair fight, 50 would probably beat him, but he would love to send him to the dentist.[21]

March

• Disturbing tha Peace signs with Def Jam.[22]
• Fat Joe and 50 Cent continue to beef, especially through the internet and through videos. G-Unit releases a mixtape called "The Elephant In The Sand".[23]
• G Unit's DJ, Whoo Kid, says he is going to retire.[24]
• Eminem and Royce Da 5'9" cease the beef.[25]
• Chuck Phillips of the Los Angeles Times says that Diddy and Jimmy Rosemond were in on the death of Tupac Shakur, but Diddy denies the rumor.[26][27]
• Jadakiss speaks on his highly anticipated debut album with Def Jam.
• Tha Carter III is set to be released on May 13, while L.A.X. is set to be released on June 24.[28]
• Los Angeles Times reports that said Diddy knew about the Tupac Shakur shooting before it happened were based on fraudulent documents, but the Los Angeles Times later apologized for the rumors.[29][30]
• T.I. is found guilty for gun charges.[31]
• Nate Dogg pleads guilty on a domestic violence charge.[32]
• Remy Ma was found guilty of charges that were put against her last year, and could face up to 25 years in prison.[33]
• Former Dipset member Max B is shot, and is said to be in critical condition.[34]
• Nelly says that his first album in four years, Brass Knuckles, is set to be released later in 2008.[35]
• 50 Cent talks about the fake Benzino/Fat Joe Hip Hop Weekly album cover(he says he did not create it), and fires "warning shots" at Rick Ross.[36]

April

• KL of Screwball dies of a heart attack.[37]
• Jay-Z signs a $150,000,000 deal with Live Nation.[38]
• Despite the big signs Diddy made to get Notorious B.I.G., Mase, and Mary J. Blige, Diddy says that his biggest sign is Janelle Monáe.[39]
• Trina's album, Still da Baddest, is the number 1 on the Rap albums on Billboard.
• New Orleans rapper VL Mike is murdered on April 20 at age 32.
• Tha Carter III is pushed back again, to June.[40]
• Jermaine Dupri and TAG Body Spray launch a hip hop record label.[41]
• DJ Whoo Kid says he doesn't want to retire, but he's not going to stick around until he's 40.[42]
• The Trackmasters return.[43]
• Ja Rule says that soon he will release his new album, The Mirror.[44]
• Bobby Valentino leaves Disturbing Tha Peace.[45]
• The UK ban of Snoop Dogg is lifted.
• The Game moves the release date on L.A.X. from June 24 to July 8.[46]

May

• DMX is arrested in Arizona because of drug and animal cruelty charges.[47]
• MTV gets hip-hop hate because of the mediocre rappers that were on the list of the best.[48]
• Suge Knight is assaulted and hospitalized.[49]
• Remy Ma's case gets re-evaluated, and only has to serve 8 years in prison.[50]
• Mass Appeal Magazine calls it quits after 12 years running.[51]
• Rick Ross's Trilla becomes the first hip hop album to be certified gold in 2008, due to the heavy airplay of his second single, "The Boss".
• Dunk Ryders sign to Cash Money Records.[52]
• A G-Unit representative denies the reports of the $300,000,000 deal.[53]
• Nas co-signs Jay Electronica.[54]
• Nas changes the name of his formerly titled Nigger album to Nas.[55]
• Polow da Don is named the Songwriter of the Year by BMI.[56]
• Saigon is released from Atlantic Records.[57]
• New York governor David Paterson pardons Slick Rick, ending his immigration woes.[58]
• A judge orders Suge Knight to sell Death Row Records.[59]
• Yung Joc starts his own label under Jive Records called Swagg Team Entertainment, signing Chicago rap trio Hotstylz as its first act.

June

• Trick Daddy leaves Slip-N-Slide Records, and has talks with Def Jam.[60]
• Shakir Stewart gets promoted to Executive VP of Def Jam.[61]
• Charli Baltimore re-signs with Murder Inc Records[62]
• Nas's album name changes again, to Untitled.[63]
• The Game changes his release date of the album L.A.X. again, to July 22, and also says that he has made the decision to not make LAX his last album.[64][65]
• Lil Wayne's album, Tha Carter III, sells over a million copies for its first week. This feat was last done by 50 Cent's The Massacre. His debut single from the album, "Lollipop" was #1 on Billboard 100 for 5 non-consecutive weeks.
• T.I. signs 8Ball & MJG, while he continues to have beef with Shawty Lo and 50 Cent.[66]
• The Orchard wins the bid for TVT Records to buy out the bankrupt label.[67]
• Nate Dogg is arrested for terrorist threats to his girlfriend.[68]
• DMX is arrested for not having a valid driver's license.[69]
• The Game's album, L.A.X., is once again pushed back, this time to August 26.[70]
• 2 Pistols falls after one punch at a BET Awards pre-party from Dolla after back-and-forth disses.[71]
• D-Block is set to release a new album; their first group album since 2000.[72]
• Death Row is sold in an auction after Suge Knight was ordered to sell the label; it was sold for 24 million dollars to Susan Berg.[73]
• DJ Khaled is set to release the album, We Global, later in 2008.[74]
• BET loses the sponsorship over violence, profanity, and obscenity in hip-hop videos. (Industry Ears and CNN, Procter & Gamble, Pepsi and General Motors pulled their ads from Rap City and 106 & Park.)[75]
• The Clipse will release their album, Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang, later in 2008 on Koch Records.[76]
• Snoop Dogg states that he is impressed by Detox, Dr. Dre's new album. He also says that Dre will produce his new album.[77]
• Kanye West was reportedly booed at 2008's Bonnaroo festival. A couple of days later, he responded with an all-caps rant post on his blog, KanyeUniverseCity.

July

• 50 Cent sues Taco Bell for $4 million because the food chain had used his name without permission.
• Gucci Mane is arrested on gun and drug charges.
• Nas teams up with MoveOn.org and Color of Change to obtain signatures to end the accusations of Barack Obama.
• Lil Wayne's album, Tha Carter III, is certified double platinum.
• Bone Thugs-n-Harmony reunite after many years with the release of Flesh-n-Bone from jail and the return of turmoiled group member Bizzy Bone. They are recording a reunion album.
• LL Cool J denies signing with G-Unit Records.
• It has been found out that popular Miami rapper Rick Ross used to be a correctional officer before becoming a rapper.
• Veteran New Orleans rapper, Sporty T murdered inside of a trailer.
• Baltimore DJ, K-Swift, dies in a swimming pool.
• The mayor of Houston proclaimed July 22, "Trae Day", for Trae's help in the community and city.

August

• Master P gets the key to the city of Memphis for the "Let The Kids Grow Day" project he organized.
• Dr. Dre's daughter releases a controversial documentary called Daddy's Shadow talking about her dad not supporting her dreams of rapping.
• Big Boi and Killer Mike end their 3-year feud.
• Yung Berg is arrested for possession of a pistol and marijuana.
• Trae and Mike Jones get into an altercation at the 2008 Ozone Awards.
• Ice Cube's new album, Raw Footage, is leaked onto the internet.
• Cam'ron sold Juelz Santana's contract to Def Jam for $2 million, hence removing Santana from the Diplomats roster.
• DJ Vlad sues Rick Ross for assaulting him.
• 50 Cent is #1 on Forbes' 2008 Hip-Hop Cash Kings, making $150 million last year for his Vitamin Water deal, his sales of Curtis, and his G-Unit clothing, and his record label. Following behind is Jay-Z at #2, Diddy at #3, and Kanye West at #4. Common, Akon, & Lil Wayne made first time showings on the list.
• Da Brat is sentenced to three years in prison for striking a woman with a rum bottle at an Atlanta nightclub in 2007.[78]
• The Game's new album, L.A.X., is leaked onto the Internet earlier than expected.
• Dr. Dre's son, Andre Young, Jr., aged 20, was found dead on August 23, 2008.[79]
• Young Jeezy's new album, The Recession, is leaked onto the Internet.
• LL Cool J's new album, Exit 13, is leaked onto the Internet a day before its release.

September

• Yung Berg was hospitalized after being beaten up and robbed for his Transformers necklace in Detroit at Trick Trick's club, Plan B.
• Kanye West was arrested for damaging two of the paparazzi's cameras. He posted bail for $20,000.
• Nelly's new album, Brass Knuckles, is leaked onto the Internet four days before its release.
• 50 Cent stated that his album Before I Self Destruct will be released on December 9, 2008, a week before Kanye's album will be released.
• Nate Dogg suffers his second stroke in less than a year. He is reported in critical condition.
• T.I.'s new album, Paper Trail, is released on September 30, 2008. It achieved gold status in its first week and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album sold 568,000 copies and became T.I.'s biggest debut to date. His album yielded two #1 hit singles ("Whatever You Like" & "Live Your Life").
• Ludacris's pool house gets set on fire.[80]
• Kanye West has pushed his album 808s and Heartbreak to November.

October

• Maino allegedly smacked Yung Berg in the face.[81]
• C-Murder supposed to appear in court on October 14, for his murder trial.
• Johnny J, a Hip-Hop producer known for producing many of Tupac Shakur's songs, dies after allegedly committing suicide by jumping of a tier of a county jail.
• 50 Cent releases first single "Get Up" off new album Before I Self Destruct due December 9.
• Eminem tells Shade 45 that his new album will be called Relapse.
• Kanye West new album 808s and Heartbreak to be released November 25.
• Lil Jon signs to Universal Republic Records and plans to release next album sometime in 2009.
• Lil Wayne stated that he will release the reissue of Tha Carter III, naming it Tha Carter III: The Rebirth. He now has another boy named Dwayne Carter III. He also won 9 BET Hip-Hop Awards the same day.
• Lil Boosie has been arrested for marijuana and weapons possession in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

November

• Shakir Steward, president of Def Jam Records, died of a self-inflicted gun wound.
• Lupe Fiasco stated that Lupe E.N.D. will be his final album, but it will be a triple CD set.
• Chamillionaire releases his first single from his third studio album, Venom, called Creepin' (Solo) featuring Ludacris.
• MC Breed passes away at the age of 36.
• 8 Mile actor, De'Angelo Wilson dies of suicide by hanging.

December

• Another arrest warrant is issued to DMX.
• Lil Wayne has the most Grammy nominations for the Grammy Awards 2009 of eight nods. Jay-Z & Kanye West both received 6 nominations each, while T.I. & Lupe Fiasco both received 4 nominations each.
• Chingy has been dropped from DTP/Def Jam Records due to lackluster sales on his fourth album, Hate It Or Love It.
• Plies releases his 3rd studio album in less than 17 months titled, Da Realist.
• Jim Jones was arrested for allegedly beating up a friend of the R&B singer Ne-Yo outside the Louis Vuitton store in New York City in December 2008; he has pleaded not guilty.[82]

Albums

Release Date	Artist	Album	Notes
January 15	Chino XL	Something Sacred	Singles: "Chow Down"
January 22	Big Noyd	Illustrious	Singles: "Things Done Changed"
February 19	Jim Jones	Harlem's American Gangster	Debuts at No. 19 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Love Me No More"
February 26	Webbie	Savage Life 2	Debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Independent", "I Miss You"
	Pete Rock	NY's Finest	Debuts at No. 193 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Till I Retire"
	Shawty Lo	Units in the City	Debuts at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Dey Know", "Dunn Dunn", "Foolish (Remix)"
March 4	Lil' Flip & Young Noble	All Eyez on Us	Debuts at No. 137 on the Billboard 200
	Rakim	The Archive: Live, Lost & Found
	Bizzy Bone	Ruthless
	Layzie Bone	Thugz Nation
March 10	Braintax	My Last and Best Album
March 11	Rick Ross	Trilla	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Speedin'", "The Boss", "Here I Am" Certified Gold
	Snoop Dogg	Ego Trippin'	Debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Sensual Seduction", "Life of da Party", "My Medicine", "Those Gurlz"
	Fat Joe	The Elephant in the Room	Debuts at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "I Won't Tell", "Ain't Sayin' Nothin'"
	Del the Funky Homosapien	Eleventh Hour	Debuts at #78 on the Billboard 200
March 18	Flo Rida	Mail on Sunday	Debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Low", "Elevator", "In the Ayer"
	Rocko	Self-Made	Debuts at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Umma Do Me", "Tomorrow"
	Sheek Louch	Silverback Gorilla	Debuts at No. 41 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Good Love"
	Bone Brothers	Still Creepin on Ah Come Up
March 25	Baracuda	Knucklebone
	Bourgeois Cyborgs (Noah23 & Baracuda)	Bourgeois Cyborgs
	CRUNK23 (Noah23 & Crunk Chris)	Dirty Bling
	Guilty Simpson	Ode to the Ghetto	Singles: "Getting Bitches", "She Won't Stay at Home"
	eMC	The Show
	The Weird Apples (Noah23, Livestock & Madadam)	The Big Crunch
April 1	Trina	Still da Baddest	Debuts at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Single Again", "I Got a Thang for You", "Look Back at You"
	AZ	Undeniable	Debuts at No. 141 on the Billboard 200
	8Ball & E.D.I.	Doin' It Big
	A Tribe Called Quest	The Best of A Tribe Called Quest
April 15	Dark Lotus	The Opaque Brotherhood
April 22	Atmosphere	When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold	Debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Shoulda Known", "Guarantees", "You"
	Prodigy	H.N.I.C. Pt. 2	Debuts at No. 36 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "The Life", "New Yitty", "ABC's"
	Bizzy Bone	A Song For You	Debuts at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "A Song For You"
April 29	The Roots	Rising Down	Debuts at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Get Busy", "Rising Up"
	9th Wonder & Buckshot	The Formula	Singles: "Go All Out", "Hold It Down"
	Lil Mama	VYP (Voice of the Young People)	Debuts at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Lip Gloss", "G-Slide (Tour Bus)", "Shawty Get Loose", "L.I.F.E.", "What It Is (Strike a Pose)"
	Baby D	A-Town Secret Weapon	Singles: "I'm Bout Money"
May 6	Krizz Kaliko	Vitiligo
May 7	Sadistik	The Balancing Act	Singles: "Searching for Some Beautiful"
May 13	Boondox	Krimson Creek
	Foxy Brown	Brooklyn's Don Diva
May 20	Bun B	II Trill	Debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "That's Gangsta", "You're Everything"
	Frayser Boy	Da Key
	Grave Plott	The Plott Thickens
May 27	Speedknot Mobstaz	Mobstability II: Nation Business
June 3	Prozak	Tales from the Sick
June 10	Lil Wayne	Tha Carter III	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Lollipop", "Got Money", "A Milli", "Mrs. Officer" Certified Triple Platinum
	Plies	Definition of Real	Debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Bust It Baby Pt. 2", "Please Excuse My Hands Certified Gold
	N*E*R*D	Seeing Sounds	Debuts at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 Single: "Everyone Nose", "Spaz", "Everyone Nose Remix"
	Tyga	No Introduction	Debuts at No. 112 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Coconut Juice", "Diamond Life", "AIM"
June 17	2 Pistols	Death Before Dishonor	Debuts at #32 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "She Got It", "You Know Me"
	Blood Raw	My Life: The True Testimony	Debuts at #29 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Louie"
	Craig G and Marley Marl	Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop
June 24	Three 6 Mafia	Last 2 Walk	Debuts at #5 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)", "I'd Rather", "That's Right"
	Immortal Technique	The 3rd World	Debuts at #99 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "The 3rd World", "Payback", "Reverse Pimpology", "Mistakes", "Golpe De Estado"
	Danny!	And I Love H.E.R.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
	RZA	Digi Snacks
July 1	G-Unit	T.O.S: Terminate on Sight	Debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Rider Pt. 2", "I Like The Way She Do It", "Close To Me"
	Tech N9ne	Killer	Singles: "Everybody Move", "Like Yeah"
	Byrd Gang	M.O.B.: The Album	Debuts at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Splash", "ByrdGang Money"
July 8	Jean Grae	Jeanius
	Killer Mike	I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II
	T.H.U.G. Angelz	Welcome to Red Hook Houses
July 15	Nas	Untitled	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Hero", "Make the World Go Round" Certified Gold
	David Banner	The Greatest Story Ever Told	Debuts at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Speaker", "Get Like Me", "Shawty Say"
	MJG	This Might Be the Day
July 22	Skillz	The Million Dollar Backpack	Singles: "So Far So Good"
	Hell Rell	Black Mask, Black Gloves	Debuts at No. 131 on the Billboard 200
	Khia	Nasti Muzik	Singles: "What They Do", "Be Your Lady"
July 23	Murs & 9th Wonder	Sweet Lord
August 5	Re-Up Gang	Clipse Presents: Re-Up Gang	Debuts at No. 55 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Fast Life"
	Nappy Roots	The Humdinger
	Outlawz	We Want In: The Street LP
August 12	Daz Dillinger	Only on the Left Side
	eLZhi	The Preface
	Skatterman & Snug Brim	Word on tha Streets
	Yung Berg	Look What You Made Me	Debuts at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Sexy Lady", "Sexy Lady Remix", "Sexy Can I", "Do That There", "The Business"
August 19	Ice Cube	Raw Footage	Debuts at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It", "Do Ya Thang", "Why Me"
	GZA	Pro Tools	Debuts at No. 52 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Paper Plate"
August 26	The Game	LAX	Debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Game's Pain", "Dope Boys", "My Life", "House of Pain"
	V.I.C.	Beast	Debuts at No. 73 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Get Silly", "Wobble", "Flawless"
	Esham	Sacrificial Lambz	Singles: "World Hustle"
September 2	Jeezy	The Recession	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Put On", "Vacation, "Crazy World", "My President" Certified Gold
	Boss Hogg Outlawz	Back by Blockular Demand: Serve & Collect II	Debuts at No. 48 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Keep It Playa"
September 9	LL Cool J	Exit 13	Debuts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Rocking with the G.O.A.T.", Baby", "Feel My Heart Beat", "Mr. President"
	Kardinal Offishall	Not 4 Sale	Debuts at No. 40 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Dangerous", "Burnt", "Set It Off", "Numba 1 (Tide is High)"
September 16	Axe Murder Boyz	God's Hand	Debuts at No. 11 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart & No. 36 on the Top Independent Albums chart
	DJ Khaled	We Global	Debuts at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Out Here Grindin", "Go Hard"
	DJ Muggs and Planet Asia	Pain Language
	Ill Bill	The Hour of Reprisal
	Nelly	Brass Knuckles	Debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Party People", "Stepped On My J'z", "Body on Me", "Warrior", "One and Only"
September 23	Gucci Mane	Hood Classics	Debuts at #197 on the Billboard 200
	Noah23	Rock Paper Scissors
September 30	Big Kuntry King	My Turn to Eat	Debuts at No. 95 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "That's Right", "Da Baddest"
	Dem Franchize Boyz	Our World, Our Way	Debuts at No. 115 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Talkin' Out da Side of Ya Neck!", "Turn Heads"
	Heltah Skeltah	DIRT
	Madlib	WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip
	MURS	MURS for President
	T.I.	Paper Trail	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "No Matter What", "Whatever You Like", "Swing Ya Rag", "What Up, What's Haapnin'", "Swagga Like Us", "Ready for Whatever", "Live Your Life", "Dead and Gone" Certified Double Platinum
	Termanology	Politics as Usual
October 7	Devin the Dude	Landing Gear	Debuts at No. 47 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Can't Make It Home"
	Kutt Calhoun	Feature Presentation
October 14	Diamond D	The Huge Hefner Chronicles
October 17	M Trill	Number One	Singles: "Bounce"
October 28	Joe Budden	Halfway House
	Paris	Acid Reflex
November 2	Noah23	Upside Down Bluejay
November 4	Illa J	Yancey Boys	Singles: "We Here", "Sounds Like Love"
	Q-Tip	The Renaissance	Debuts at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Gettin' Up", "Move"
	Unk	2econd Season	Debuts at No. 104 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Show Out"
November 11	Jedi Mind Tricks	A History of Violence
November 18	Ace Hood	Gutta	Debuts at No. 36 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Cash Flow", "Ride", "Ride (Remix)"
	South Park Mexican	The Last Chair Violinist	Debuts at No. 59 on the Billboard 200
November 24	E-40	The Ball Street Journal	Debuts at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Wake It Up"
	Kanye West	808's and Heartbreak	Debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Love Lockdown", "Heartless", "Amazing", "Paranoid" Certified Platinum Does not contain the "parental advisory" sticker
November 25	Anybody Killa	Mudface
	Jim Jones & Skull Gang	Jim Jones & Skull Gang Present A Tribute To Bad Santa Starring Mike Epps	Singles: "Bad Santa Intro", "Jingle Bellz"
December 9	Common	Universal Mind Control	Debuts at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Universal Mind Control," "Announcement"
	EPMD	We Mean Business
December 16	Plies	Da REAList	Debuts at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Pants Hang Low," "Put It on Ya", "Want It, Need It"
	Soulja Boy	iSouljaBoyTellEm	Debuts at No. 43 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "Bird Walk," "Kiss Me Thru the Phone," "Soulja Boy Tellem," "Turn My Swag On"
December 24	Ludacris	Theater of the Mind	Debuts at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 Singles: "What Them Girls Like", "One More Drink", "Nasty Girl" Certified Gold

Highest first week sales

As of December 31, 2008.[83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90]

Number	Artist	Album	1st week sales	1st week position
1	Lil Wayne	Tha Carter III	1,086,000	#1
2	T.I.	Paper Trail	568,000	#1
3	Kanye West	808s & Heartbreak	450,000	#1
4	Young Jeezy	The Recession	260,000	#1
5	The Game	LAX	240,000	#2
6	Plies	Definition of Real	215,000	#2
7	Ludacris	Theater of the Mind	214,000	#5
8	Rick Ross	Trilla	198,000	#1
9	Nas	Untitled	187,000	#1
10	Snoop Dogg	Ego Trippin'	137,000	#3

Highest critically reviewed albums (Metacritic)

Number	Artist	Album	Average score	Number of reviews	Reference
1	Lil Wayne	Tha Carter III	84	26 reviews	[91]
2	Q-Tip	The Renaissance	82	24 reviews	[92]
3	Bun B	II Trill	82	17 reviews	[93]
4	The Roots	Rising Down	80	27 reviews	[94]
5	Gnarls Barkley	The Odd Couple	76	35 reviews	[95]
6	Why?	Alopecia	76	21 reviews	[96]
7	Roots Manuva	Slime & Reason	76	16 reviews	[97]
8	Kanye West	808s & Heartbreak	75	36 reviews	[98]
9	T.I.	Paper Trail	74	19 reviews	[99]
10	Murs	Murs for President	74	15 reviews	[100]

See also

• Previous article: 2007 in hip hop music
• Next article: 2009 in hip hop music

References

1. "Black Wall Street Confirms The Game's Retirement Rumor". HipHop DX.
2. "Freekey Zeekey Says The Dips Are Back Together". HipHop DX.
3. "DXclusive: Rick Ross and Birdman Recording Album". HipHop DX.
4. "50 Cent, Timbaland And Wyclef Listed In Steroids Probe". HipHop DX.
5. "Eminem Rushed To Hospital During Holidays". MTV.
6. "Twista Launches Label, Readies First Release". HipHop DX.
7. "Flo-Rida Comments On Breaking Digital Sales Record". HipHop DX.
8. "Nate Dogg Suffers Stroke". HipHop DX.
9. "Harve Pierre Named President Of Bad Boy Records". HipHop DX.
10. "Joell Ortiz No Longer With Aftermath". HipHop DX.
11. "Devin The Dude Leaves Rap-A-Lot Records". HipHop DX.
12. "HHDX News Bits (Bun B, Benzino vs. Fat Joe)". HipHop DX.
13. "MTV's President Steps Down". HipHop DX.
14. "The Game Sentenced To Two Months In Jail". HipHop DX.
15. "DJ Khaled Signs We The Best Music Imprint To Def Jam". HipHop DX.
16. "Ruthless Records Returns With Some Help From Sony". HipHop DX.
17. "Nas Targets April For New Album". HipHop DX.
18. "TVT Records Files For Bankruptcy; Lays Off Staff". HipHop DX.
19. "Lil' Wayne Visits His School, Says "Carter III" Due in April". HipHop DX.
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21. "KRS-One & DJ Revolution Sign To Duck Down". HipHop DX.
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