Da Daily Dank

In 2010, the biggest stories in hip-hop imbued the community with
collective cheers (as new stars like Drake and Nicki Minaj began to
break out) and sobs (as Guru passed and T.I. returned to prison). There
were also stories we'll probably still remember years from now, like
when Eminem and Jay-Z joined forces in their hometown ballparks or when
Weezy was freed from Rikers. Here, MTV News takes a look at the top 10
hip-hop stories of the year.

"B.M.F." Bawses

Rick Ross' industrial-strength anthem was hip-hop's biggest street
record of the year and transformed the Miami MC from punching bag to
Teflon Don following his feud with 50 Cent. His textured voice
delivered a series of massively catchy lines ("I think I'm Big
Meech!"), while 2010's breakout producer Lex Luger laced the track with
a concrete-hard instrumental. "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)" served as
the soundtrack to the summer, and rappers like Lupe Fiasco ("Building
Minds Faster"), Sheek Louch ("The Real New York") and Jermaine Dupri
("I Think I'm Berry Gordy") all took the beat for a spin.

Drake Debuts

Heading into 2010, the Toronto lyricist was still riding high from his
breakout mixtape, 2009's So Far Gone, and expectations were adding up
like late charges. But the Lil Wayne protégé handled the pressure like
Mike Vick in the fourth quarter: calm, composed and cool. His first
official LP, Thank Me Later, featured the hits "Over," "Find Your Love"
and "Fancy" and easily found its way onto many year-end best lists,
while Drake took his act on the road for a series of buzzed-about tours
that included surprise guests (Jay-Z, Eminem, J.Cole, LeBron James,
Kobe Bryant) that would make for a good career, let alone 12 months.

Eminem Recovers

After a rocky return with 2009's Relapse, Em went back to the studio
for Recovery. This time, however, with a series of new collaborators
(Rihanna, Just Blaze, Alex Da Kid, DJ Khalil) that reinvigorated the
Detroit MC. The result: two soaring #1 hits ("Not Afraid" and "Love the
Way You Lie" ) and a nod as MTV News' Hottest MC in the Game. Expect
some spillover for the potty-mouth wordsmith as he's up for a leading
10 Grammys at the 2011 ceremony.

Weezy Was Freed

Lil Wayne's folklore grew by Incredible Hulk-size leaps and bounds over
the past 12 months, beginning with a series of events leading up to the
New Orleans rapper turning himself in to serve 10 months in a New York
prison. After being granted a temporary reprieve when a fire at the
courthouse delayed his sentencing, he stunned a Madison Square Garden
audience in March when he joined Young Jeezy onstage during his set on
Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 Tour. While behind bars, he released a full-length
album, I Am Not a Human Being, which debuted at #1. Then, following his
release in November, Wayne traveled to Las Vegas to join Drake on the
last stop of his Light Dreams and Nightmares Tour, where he turned the
Sin City crowd into LeBron James-level witnesses.

G.O.O.D. Fridays Deliver

Kanye West made it his personal duty to deliver a new song to the Web
via his blog every Friday from September through December, and the
producer galvanized the hip-hop community with a series of dazzling
numbers. Every seven (sometimes eight) days, 'Ye dropped songs that
were album quality but with the intensity of mixtape material. The
payoff came when he took the tracks and spun them over into elongated
and elaborate records that powered his stunning My Beautiful Dark
Twisted Fantasy.

Guru Passes

The underground icon passed away earlier this year, spurring a cloud of
controversy as his business partner Solar and the rapper's family
feuded over details surrounding Guru's [rip]. The sudden fall of the
beloved star left fans in shock. But DJ Premier and Guru's nephew led a
spirited charge to channel the rapper's legacy and the indelible mark
he left on music as a part of Gang Starr and through his Jazzmatazz
series.

"Home and Home" Triumphs

Jay-Z and Eminem scored on this mini tour as they traded massive
headlining gigs in their hometowns, two shows in Detroit and another
two in New York City. Eminem raised the stakes on the first two stops
in Comerica Park by bringing out Dr. Dre, Drake and 50 Cent. Hov,
however, was not one to be outdone and turned Yankee Stadium into an
All-Star Game with a lineup that included Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and
Nicki Minaj.

Nicki Minaj Ascends

In the past, decorated MCs like Busta Rhymes and Ludacris battled for
the crowd as they joined an array of artists in collaboration on their
tracks. This year, though, Nicki Minaj was on most people's speed dial.
The upstart artist took the throne from the boys as the guest star on a
series of tracks by big names from Mariah Carey to Kanye West. She's a
monster, indeed.

"Runaway" Soars

Kanye West returned from his self-imposed exile with the driving
"Power," but it was during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, and later
with the premiere of the "Runaway" video, that the embattled MC made
the true inroads to his comeback. The allegorical number featured
West's sweeping production and Pusha T's sharp-elbowed punch lines.
'Ye's self-deprecating rhymes, though, humanized the superstar and
brought the attention to his amazing skill as an arranger; not to
mention, it spotlighted his devilish charm despite his ornery ways.

T.I. Returns to Prison

The Atlanta MC inspired plenty of people last year during his TV
series, "T.I.'s Road to Redemption." His hard-luck story, however,
turned into steel when he was arrested yet again, for drugs, following
his release from a halfway house earlier this year. This time, though,
he admitted a dependency problem and begged a judge for leniency, T.I.
was sent back to prison to serve 11 months for probation violation. His
recent album, No Mercy, showcases the rapper at his most introspective
as he looks for his life's answers.