NaS - Who else can rerelease the greatest album again and make it better? Star Wars alone in there is the song of the year. His album got pushed back a couple of times, which is not good. But the Central Park show was. Hw has matured to what everyone knew he would have become, a musician.

Mos Def - This two time nominee in this catagory just delivers over and over again. He has been doing movies and becoming an entertainer. He did release the album everyone was waiting for and boy was that an album.

Ghostface Killah - Shame Def Jam forgot how to promote their artists. The best album of the year was here and they dropped the ball. Pretty Toney just solidified Tony Stark has a great. Then he spreads love to his crew and makes Theodore Unit's 718. He did not drop a bit on that mixtape.

Cormega - the plan was for him to help start careers. The lady Dona looks like she can be real deal and to show that kind of love to not make what everyone wanted, a Cormega only album, and still rock the album they way he did was the treat. He actually did a video(animated) and that kicked ass.

Kanye West - He proved he can make an album primarily him and make it good. His wit and conscienceness was a rare idea lately. He did help people remember the greats like Tribe and Public Enemy, people used to rhyme with cause.

Royce Da 5'9" - His only mistake might be overexposure this year. He put out so much material with his album, two MIC mixtapes and work on other areas. Hot, yes. He did step back from things that might typecast him as just another hater and did what mattered most to him, his music and piece of mind.