The third annual BET Hip Hop awards were taped on October 19, 2008 and will air on October 23, 2008. Katt Williams was scheduled to host, but did not appear. Rapper T-Pain hosted the show in her place. Lil Wayne was nominated for 12 awards, he won Lyricist of the Year, MVP of the Year and the Alltel Wireless People's Champ awards. During his acceptance speech, Lil Wayne announced that he is going to have his first child soon. Fox searchlight also presented clips from the upcoming film Notorious, based on the life of Notorious B.I.G..

• T.I.
• MC Lyte
• Yo-Yo
• The Lady of Rage
• Salt N Pepa
• Spinderella
• Swizz Beatz
• Nas
• Plies
• Young Jeezy
• Ne-Yo
• Nelly
• Rick Ross
• Avery Storm

• Please see Mahalo's Hip Hop Award Winners for more information

• Lyricist of the Year: Lil Wayne

• MVP of the Year: Lil Wayne

• Alltel Wireless People's Champ: Lil Wayne

• I Am Hip Hop Icon Award: Russell Simmons

• Best Collaboration: DJ Khaled, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross for "I'm So Hood (The Remix)"

• MySpace Music Rookie of the Year: Shawty Lo