2012 was a landmark year for hip-hop, marked by Kanye West sweeping four Grammy Awards and the jaw-dropping 2Pac hologram performance alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at Coachella. The year also saw the tragic deaths of Beastie Boys co-founder Adam "MCA" Yauch (May 4) and rapper Lil Phat, while major label deals were struck for Kendrick Lamar (via Top Dawg/Interscope/Aftermath) and Chief Keef (Interscope). In a groundbreaking moment, Frank Ocean publicly came out via a Tumblr letter, receiving widespread support from industry figures like Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Tyler, The Creator. The industry was also rocked by violence, including shootings involving Tyga's tour bus and Philthy Rich, as well as arrests of Cory Gunz and 2 Chainz. Beefs flared between Pusha T and Lil Wayne and Lupe Fiasco and Pete Rock, while D12 lost members Bizarre and Kon Artis. Overall, 2012 was a turbulent yet creatively rich year that reshaped the genre's landscape.