After an extensive legal battle and feud, Lil Wayne finally released the long awaited album The Carter V in 2018. Four years after the intended release, the album was arguably the most influential hip hop album of 2018, despite many of the songs being recorded in 2014. It is astounding how Lil Wayne remains to be a relevant figure in music, despite his age and time spent in the industry. This year, Lil Wayne reclaimed his artistic identity and shot waves through hip hop, making him my artist of the year. - Christina Dias