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Snoop Dogg - Snoop Dogg is nothing short of a legend. From his landmark 1993 debut, Doggystyle to "Drop It Like It's Hot" to his reincarnation as Snoop Lion, tha Doggfather has been hip-hop's top household name for two decades now (ask your grandma). His laid-back, effortless flow will no doubt keep the Cipher ice cold.(Photo: Joe Kohen/Getty Images)

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T.I. - T.I. may have lost his freedom with two prison sentences in the past few years, but he never lost his relentless rhyme skills. Look for Tip to try to re-assert his King of the South title — and build anticipation for his upcoming album,Trouble Man — with fire-breathing bars in the Cypher.(Photo: Atlantic Records)

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DMX - After a long, bumpy road back to the spotlight — potholed by addiction, jail time and divorce — DMX is as hungry as ever. With a new bark and bite, the Dog can back up the name of his new album, Undisputed, and cement his comeback with a dominating Cypher performance.(Photo: Myspace)

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A$AP Rocky - Harlem rookie A$AP Rocky took the world by storm last year, riding the hype from his acclaimed debut mixtape, LiveLoveA$AP, to a massive major-label deal and superstar co-signs. A standout verse in the Cypher would prove A$AP can hang with the big boys, and launch the buildup to his forthcoming studio debut, LongLiveA$AP.(Photo: Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

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Cassidy - Cassidy's skills in a rhyme circle are the stuff street legends are made of (ask Freeway, his most famous victim). Though it's been years since his hit "I'm a Hustla" — the first platinum rap ringtone — Cass is resurrecting his name with a new mixtape, Mayhem Music. A dominant verse in the Cypher could cap off a true comeback year for the Philly MC.(Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

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Mystikal - After his skyrocketing, Master P-backed career was derailed by a lengthy prison sentence, New Orleans vet Mystikal is clawing his way back to the fame, signing a deal with former crosstown rivals Cash Money. If his recent amped-up radio freestyles are any indication, Mystikal could very well steal the show in the Cypher.(Photo: Jive Records)

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Talib Kweli - Talib has been one of the most respected rappers in the game for more than a decade now. Jay-Z and J. Cole know — they both gave him props on their own hits. He's known for his conscious lyrics, but he honed his skills in corner battles in Brooklyn, the perfect training grounds for spitting 16 scene-stealing bars in the Cypher.(Photo: Warner Bros Records)

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B.o.B. - Yes, he plays the guitar, and yes, he can sing a pop hook with the best of them, but B.o.B. is first and foremost a rapper, and a damn good one at that. After sharpening his chops trading bars with mentor T.I., the Atlanta spitter is ready to take doubters and haters by surprise at the Cypher.(Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Eve - Returning to the mic after years of delays, label politics and Hollywood side hustles, DMX's Ruff Ryder road dog Eve is ready to show a new generation why she calls herself "the illest pit bull in a skirt."(Photo: Courtesy Ruff Ryders)

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Boy Jones - Boy Jones, the son of the late, great Ol Dirty Bastard, is the next generation of the Wu. With his animated rhymes and grimy lisp, Jones is looking to bring his father’s legacy to The Cypher and establish his own skills at the same time. (Photo: Facebook)

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Brianna Perry - Brianna Perry first entered the game as teen sensation Lil Brianna, but she’s all grown up now. After landing a BET Awards nomination for her hit single “Marilyn Monroe,” the Miami beauty is looking to come home with a win at the HHAs — by besting her peers in The Cypher. (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Childish Gambino - Childish Gambino — the rap alter-ego of comedian and Community actor Donald Glover — ain’t no joke. His high-pitched rhymes may be left-field and often tongue-in-cheek, but viral sensations like “Freaks and Geeks” are just a preview of what could be a breakthrough Cypher performance. (photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Chip - Already a star in the U.K., with a platinum album and No. 1 hits, 21-year-old spitter Chip is looking to invade the States after signing to T.I.’s Grand Hustle Entertainment earlier this year — and rhyming alongside Tip and his labelmates at The Cypher is the perfect place to start.(Photo:  John Wright/Grand Hustle Records)

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Lil Chuckee - At just 16, Lil Chuckee is one the youngest members of Lil Wayne’s Young Money crew. He’s already released five mixtapes, and had star-making cameos on “Girl, I Got You” and “Finale” from the 2009 Young Money compilation, We Are Young Money. (Photo: Young Money Records)

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Kid Daytona - The Kid Daytona should already be familiar to BET viewers from his Music Matters endorsement, which landed him on 106 & Park. After exploding worldwide via a series of acclaimed mixtapes, the Bronx rapper aims to cement his fame by killing it in The Cypher.(Photo: Community J.U.I.C.E./Jack Move Inc Records)

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DJ Premier - The legendary DJ Premier is undoubtedly one of the best producers of all time, the man behind classics for The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Jay-Z, Gang Starr and others. As he has at Hip Hop Awards past, he’ll be manning the turntables at the Cypher, scratching up classic breakbeats ready-made for battle-sharpened rhymes. (Photo: Courtesy WikiCommons)

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Driicky Graham - After tearing down the stage at the BET Awards pre-show earlier this year with his smash “Snapbacks & Tattoos,” North Carolina rapper Driicky is set to prove he’s no one-hit wonder by going rhyme for rhyme with heavyweights in The Cypher. (Photo: Facebook)

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E-40 - The mayor of Bay Area hip hop, E-40 is still going strong after two decades. He set new standards for hustling earlier this year when he released three solo albums, The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil  Vol. 1, 2, and 3, on the same day. One Cypher may not be enough.  (Photo: Facebook)

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Fame - (Photo: Courtesy of MBK Entertainment)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy of MBK Entertainment

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Jean Grae - Much like the X-Men heroine she’s named after, veteran Brooklyn rapper Jean Grae has superpowers—lyrical ones, to be exact. After snapping necks alongside Talib Kweli, Cormega, Lil B, Tech N9ne, Joell Ortiz and Wale, she’s one of the most respected indie rappers around, male or female. An appearance in the Cypher is long overdue.(Photo: Donald Bowers/Getty Images)

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Hopsin - L.A. rapper Hopsin had a massive 2012, landing on the cover of XXL’s Freshmen issue after tearing up Youtube with hilarious viral videos, touring the nation and rhyming alongside Tech N9ne.(Photo: Ruthless Records)

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Iggy Azalea - Australian femcee Iggy Azalea rode the buzz from viral videos including “P---y” and “Murder Music” — not to mention her supermodel good looks — to a deal with T.I.’s Grand Hustle Entertainment. With her performance in The Cypher, she’s out to prove she’s more than a pretty face, and may even take a few shots at rival raptresses on the way.(Photo: Interscope Records)

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Jay Bird - Hot 16 contest winner Jaybird The Purdy Boi steps up to the big leagues as he exchanges bars with the pros. (photo: facebook)

Photo By photo: facebook

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Joey Bada$ - Brooklyn teen Joey Bada$ hit hip hop like a hurricane with the gritty, ’90s-inspired video for “Survival Tactics,” and followed it up with his debut release, 1999, which is up for Best Mixtape at the HHAs. (Photo: Cinematic Music Group)

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K-La - Atlanta-based rapper-singer K’La has already been through it all, bouncing back from being homeless as a child to sign a deal with Def Jam. Rocking The Cypher to cement her newfound fame from collaborating with Roscoe Dash and Nas is just the latest challenge she’s looking forward to knocking out the park.(Photo: Def Jam Records)

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Kendrick Lamar - Kendrick Lamar is returning to The Cypher 12 months later — last year he killed it alongside B.o.B., Big K.R.I.T. and others — like a champ. Since last time, he's signed with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment, toured with BET Music Matters and dropped two dope singles to get ready for his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d. city. And he’s just getting started.   (Photo: Aftermath Entertainment)

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Kosha Dillz - Los Angeles–based Israeli-American rapper Kosha Dillz is known for his freestyle skills, which have helped him triumph at mic competitions worldwide, including the Hot 97 Summer Jam Rap Battle in 2009. He’s collaborated and toured the globe with the likes of Ghostface Killah, Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu and many more. (Photo: Shemspeed Records)

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Kurupt - G-Funk legend Kurupt is one half of Tha Dogg Pound, who went double platinum with their 1995 debut, Dogg Food, after playing key roles on Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. In recent years, Kurupt has continued to collaborate with Snoop, while also rapping alongside Joell Ortiz, DJ Quik and DJ Drama. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Lil Niqo - At just 12 years old, San Diego native Lil Niqo has already inked a deal with Def Jam. Last year he released the swag-tastic single and video “OK Then,” featuring DJ Khaled, racking up more than a million Youtube views. This year, he’s set to put grown-ups on notice with a dope verse in The Cypher. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Lil Waah - Lil Waah, the son of Ruff Ryders co-founder Joaquin “Waah” Dean, is making moves at just 10 years old. He’s looking to lead a new generation of the Double-R and help resurrect the brand with a beyond-his-years performance in The Cypher.(Photo: Ruff Ryders Entertainment)

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Mac Miller - Mac Miller shocked the world when his studio debut, Blue Slide Park, debuted at No. 1, the first independently released album to top the charts in 16 years. The achievement has made the 20-year-old Pittsburgh the target for a whole lot of skepticism, but Mac is looking to fly by the haters with a no-doubt verse in The Cypher.(photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Mook - Mook, a legend in the rap-battle circuit for his merciless take-downs of opponents, graduated to the next level after signing a deal with Ruff Ryders. After his insane, out-of-retirement performance at the Smack/URL battle, Mook is more than ready to rep the Double-R in The Cypher. (photo: John Ricard / BET)

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DJ Quik - Iconic Compton rapper-producer DJ Quik is a key figure in gangsta rap’s golden age, and a godfather of his city’s signature G-funk sound. In 2011, after spending years working on Dr. Dre’s Detox behind the scenes, he released his first album in six years, The Book of David. His much-anticipated appearance in The Cypher will help introduce a true legend to a new generation of rap fiends.(Photo: Universal Records)

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Relly - The Freestyle Friday Hall of Famer mastered the art of battle slaying competition on 106 & Park. You can be sure this lyrical black belt will be up for the task at The Cypher.  (photo: John Ricard / BET)

Photo By photo: John Ricard / BET

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RZA - RZA needs no introduction, but just in case, he’s the rapper/producer/author/director who founded the Wu Tang Clan and changed rap — and music overall — forever. Expect nothing less than legendary when the so-called Abbot emerges from the wilds of Shaolin to tear up The Cypher.   (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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Sarkodie - After signing a deal with Akon’s Konvict Music label and winning Best African Act at the BET Awards earlier this year, Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie’s name is looking to keep his name ringing out overseas with a buzz-worthy Cypher appearance. (Photo: Ghana Music)

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Schoolboy Q - Schoolboy Q followed up on his Black Hippy homie Kendrick Lamar’s huge successes with his own breakthrough year. His acclaimed album Habits & Contradictions produced the hit “Hands on the Wheel,” featuring A$AP Rocky, and helped his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, land a joint deal with Interscope. (Photo: Interscope)

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Tito Lopez - Mississippi native Tito Lopez has wowed listeners with his earnest rhymes and intricate wordplay. After a series of mixtapes and videos, including the hit “Mama Proud,” helped him land co-signs from Dr. Dre and Dungeon Family, Tito is vying to win over the HHA audience—and the world— at The Cypher.(Photo: Capital Records)

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Trae Tha Truth - Houston vet Trae Tha Truth, a member of the city’s legendary Screwed Up Click, finessed a string of banging mixtapes and indie albums to a deal with T.I.’s Grand Hustle Entertainment. After being shot at an H-Town night club — three others, including two of his friends, were killed in the same incident — Trae hopes to prove he hasn’t lost a step by killing it in The Cypher.  (Photo: Grand Hustle Records)

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Xzibit - Veteran rapper Xzibit’s gruff rhymes helped make songs by Snoop, Eminem and Dr. Dre into hits, and he parlayed them into a successful screen career as movie actor and host of MTV’s long-running Pimp My Ride. Now, after falling back for a few years, Xzibit is returning with a vengeance via a highly anticipated appearance at The Cypher. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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YG - For Compton native YG, one of the leaders of SoCal's "jerking movement," rhyming in The Cypher is just the latest major move: He's already landed a Def Jam deal, released a hit single with 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg ("Toot It and Boot It") and appeared on an XXL cover, as one of the mag’s annual "Freshmen." (Photos: Adrian Sidney/ PictureGroup)

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Angel Haze - Angel Haze’s ridiculously agile, rapid-fire rhymes, strong singing voice and confident attitude on “New York” and other Internet hits have thrust her to the head of the new vanguard of incredible female MCs making noise.  (photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Ab-Soul - Much like his Tuff Dawg Entertainment brethren — Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock — Carson, California, native Ab-Soul had a breakthrough year, with his out-there, schizophrenic rhymes making Control System one of the best indie-hop releases in recent memory.(Photo: Interscope Records)