#4 Say what you will about Kanye West there’s no denying that he’s an outstanding performer. In February, West hooked up with model Amber Rose. The stylish duo were always dressed to impress at every and any event. But it’s not because of West’s relationship with Rose that made him the talk of ‘09. It was when the outspoken rapper interrupted Taylor Swift’s winning at the moment at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Kanye West coined the infamous phrase “Imma let you finish but…”. which would later be spoofed by thousands on the internet. But not all has been bad for West, he designed a sneaker with Louis Vuitton and is up for 6 Grammys.

#3 To many he was just Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi. But Aubrey Graham, who now goes by stage name Drake, would soon rid his squeaky clean image. His “So Far Gone” mixtape was well received by the public, and as result gained the Canadian rapper an huge fan following and a record deal with Young Money Entertainment. “Best I Ever Had” became Drake’s first hit on the Billboard charts. The trend would continue as “Successful”, “Every Girl” and most recently “Forever” would dominate radio airwaves for several months. Now that Drake has become a household name, the rapper is expected to drop his first studio album in 2010.

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