T.I. and T-Pain were the big surprises at the 2008 BET Hip Hop Awards on Saturday night in Atlanta, Georgia - both made unexpected appearances. Rapper T-Pain was a last-minute replacement for show host Katt Williams, who failed to make the event, while T.I. returned to the prizegiving a year after federal weapons charges kept him from his headlining spot at the 2007 awards.Major awards went to DJ Khaled, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross, who took home the Best Hip Hop Collaboration prize for the song I'm So Hood (The Remix), and rap mogul Russell Simmons was honoured with the night's I Am Hip-Hop Icon award.Lil Wayne was the big winner - he took home three prizes, including Lyricist of 2008 and MVP of The Year, while Shawty Lo was crowned Rookie of The Year.The performance highlights came from Lil Wayne, T.I., Nas, Ludacris, Nelly, Common, Young Jeezy, Ice Cube, Rick Ross and MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, and Salt-n-Pepa, who teamed up for a girl power moment.The full list of winners will not be released until the show airs on BET on 23 October.

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