Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar & More Lead BET Awards 2026 Nominations

1 hour ago 3

BET Awards 2025: See Every Celebrity on the Red Carpet

These artists have made their mark on the culture.  

The BET Award nominations have arrived, and Cardi B leads with six, including one in the brand new The Fashion Vanguard Award category.

She also picked up noms for Best Collaboration, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video Director of the Year, Album of the Year and Viewers’ Choice. Following close behind the AM I THE DRAMA? rapper, Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist snagged five nominations each.  

While Kendrick—one of the most decorated artists at the BET Awards with over 20 wins—did not release a solo project last year, he is nominated in several categories for his features on other artists’ songs including "Chains & Whips" by Clipse and "Good Flirts" by Baby Keem, which also features Momo Boyd. Both tracks received nods in the Best Collaboration category.

Just behind him are Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto, all of whom picked up four nominations. A first-timer at the awards show, Olivia will be competing for Best New Artist following her win in the same category at the Grammys in February.

And musicians aren’t the only ones being celebrated, as film legends like Denzel Washington, Michael B. Jordan, Regina Hall and Angela Bassett are nominated in the acting categories. As for some of the titles competing for Best Movie, Him, One Battle After Another, Sinners and Wicked: For Good each received a nod.

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

This year, BET also introduced The Pulse Award, which recognizes creators, campaigns, or online series that move Black culture forward in digital spaces. Internet-savvy personalities like Keke Palmer, Charlamagne tha God, and Druski got nods in the category. 

The BET Awards will air on June 28 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Read on to see a full list of nominees…

The Fashion Vanguard Award 

A$AP Rocky

Bad Bunny

Beyoncé

Cardi B

Colman Domingo

Doechii

Rihanna

Teyana Taylor

Zendaya

The Pulse Award 

85 South Show

Baby, This Is Keke Palmer

Charlamagne Tha God

Don Lemon

Druski

It Is What It Is

Joe and Jada

On the Radar

R&B Money Podcast

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

Ari Lennox

Coco Jones

Ella Mai

Jill Scott

Kehlani

Mariah the Scientist

Olivia Dean

SZA

Tems

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Brent Faiyaz

Bruno Mars

Bryson Tiller

Chris Brown

Durand Bernarr

GIVEON

Leon Thomas

October London

Usher

Best Group

41

Clipse

De La Soul

FLO

French Montana & Max B

Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz

Nas & DJ Premier

Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon

Wizkid & Asake

Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Best Collaboration

"Chains & Whips" — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar

"Errtime Remix" — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto

"Go Girl" — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat

"Good Flirts" — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd

"Is It a Crime" — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis

"It Depends (The Remix)" — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher

"Take Me Thru Dere" — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz

"wgft" — Gunna feat. Burna Boy

 Best Male Hip Hop Artist

A$AP Rocky

Baby Keem

BigXthaPlug

DaBaby

Don Toliver

Drake

J. Cole

Kendrick Lamar

T.I.

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B

Coi Leray

Doechii

Doja Cat

GloRilla

Latto

Megan Thee Stallion

Monaleo

YK Niece

Video of the Year

"100" — Ella Mai

"Anxiety" — Doechii

"Burning Blue" — Mariah the Scientist

"Chanel" — Tyla

"Escape Room (Short Film)" — Teyana Taylor

"Folded" — Kehlani

"LET ‘EM KNOW" — T.I.

"luther" — Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella

Video Director of the Year

A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit

Anderson .Paak

Benny Boom

Cactus Jack

Cardi B & Patientce Foster

Cole Bennett

Director X

Hype Williams

Teyana "Spike-Tey" Taylor

Best New Artist

Belly Gang Kushington

DESTIN CONRAD

JayDon

kwn

Miles Minnick

Monaleo

Olivia Dean

RAYE

Trap Dickey

Album of the Year

AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B

DON’T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, the Creator

everything is a lot. — Wale

HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY — Mariah the Scientist

Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse

MUTT Deluxe: HEEL — Leon Thomas

The Fall-Off — J. Cole

The Romantic — Bruno Mars

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

"Able" — Kirk Franklin

"ABLE (REMIX)" — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell

"All to Thee" — BeBe Winans

"Already Good (Tasha Slide)" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard

"At the Cross" — CeCe Winans

"Church" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend

"Do It Again" — Kirk Franklin

"Headphones" — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.

Best Actress 

Angela Bassett

Ayo Edebiri

Chase Infiniti

Coco Jones

Cynthia Erivo

Keke Palmer

Quinta Brunson

Regina Hall

Teyana Taylor

Best Actor 

Aaron Pierre

Aldis Hodge

Anthony Mackie

Colman Domingo

Damson Idris

Delroy Lindo

Denzel Washington

Michael B. Jordan

Sterling K. Brown

YoungStars Award 

Daria Johns

Graceyn "Gracie" Hollingsworth

Heiress Harris

Jazzy's World TV

Lela Hoffmeister

North West

Thaddeus J. Mixson

VanVan

Best Movie

Highest 2 Lowest

Him

Number One on the Call Sheet

One Battle After Another

Relationship Goals

Ruth & Boaz

Sinners

Wicked: For Good

Joseph Okpako/Getty Images for MOBO

Sportswoman of the Year Award 

A'ja Wilson — Basketball

Angel Reese — Basketball

Claressa Shields — Boxing

Coco Gauff — Tennis

Flau'jae Johnson — Basketball

Gabby Thomas — Track & Field

Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics

Naomi Osaka — Tennis

Sha'Carri Richardson — Track & Field

Sportsman of the Year Award

Aaron Judge — Baseball

Anthony Edwards — Basketball

Caleb Williams — Football

Jalen Brunson — Basketball

Jalen Hurts — Football

LeBron James — Basketball

Shedeur Sanders — Football

Stephen Curry — Basketball

BET Her

"Already Good (Tasha Slide)" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard

"Be Great" — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty

"Beautiful People" — Jill Scott

"First" — Tems

"girl, get up." — Doechii feat. SZA

"Go Girl" — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat

"Gorgeous" — Doja Cat

"Lady Lady" — Olivia Dean

Viewers’ Choice

"Burning Blue" — Mariah the Scientist

“Chains & Whips” — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar

“Chanel” — Tyla

“Folded” — Kehlani

“I Just Might” — Bruno Mars

“It Depends” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller

“Man I Need” — Olivia Dean

“Outside” — Cardi B

“Raindance” — Dave & Tems

“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App

Read Entire Article