TI

At the 51st Grammy Awards last night, Lil Wayne entered the L.A. venue with eight nominations! Tha Carter III took home the Rap Album of the Year award, presented by vocoder-boy T-Pain and will.i.am, beating out Jay-Z's American Gangster, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, T.I.’s Paper Trail and Nas’ 'Nigger' untitled project.

His single “Lollipop” and "A Milli" earned him Rap Song of the Year and Rap Solo Performance of the Year respectively. His part in the posse-cut “Swagger Like Us” handed him another gramophone award for Best Rap Collaboration.

Jay-Z, Kayne West, T.I. (all of whom had their own performances on the bill) join a ready-to-pop pregnant MIA with her classic 2009 anthem "No-one on the corner has a swagger like us!" Hip-hop held its own at the Grammys!

The hottest rapper in the industry came and proved. Now I'm catching vapors! - Rip [ed]

Check the evening's hip-hop performances below.

"Tie My Hand" by Lil Wayne & Robin Thicke

Lil Wayne Wins a Grammy For Best Rap Album. SPEECH!

"Dead And Gone" by T.I. & Justin Timberlake

"Lost" by Coldplay & Jay-Z

"American Boy" Estelle & Kanye West

Live at the Grammy Awards: "Swagga Like Us" by MIA with Lil Wayne, TI, Jay-Z & Kanye West

(Issue #105) T.I. makes a huge run in the industry, putting out another major studio album, signing a three picture deal and offering his family life to MTV on a platter. All before he is sent to serve a sentence for multiple charges of machine gun possession. T.I took time out to pose and Q&A with XXL.