Today, the nominations for the BET Awards 2026 have officially arrived, highlighting some of the biggest names Black entertainment. This year, Cardi B leads the field with six nominations, while Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow closely behind with five apiece.
Set to air live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the annual ceremony continues expanding beyond music categories while reflecting the artists, creators, personalities, and platforms currently driving conversation across entertainment and social media. Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto each earned four nominations this year, while A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, T.I., Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and YK Niece secured three nominations each.
Cardi B’s dominant showing includes nods for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Album of the Year for Am I The Drama?, and Viewers’ Choice for “Outside.” She also appears in the newly introduced Fashion Vanguard Award category, alongside names like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Zendaya, Colman Domingo, and Doechii. BET describes the award as recognition for public figures whose fashion choices continue influencing culture across entertainment, sports, and media.
Kendrick Lamar earned nominations spanning multiple categories, including Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Video of the Year for “luther” alongside SZA. His collaboration with Clipse, “Chains & Whips,” also received recognition in both the Best Collaboration and Viewers’ Choice categories. Mariah the Scientist continues her breakout run with nominations including Album of the Year for HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY, and Video of the Year for “Burning Blue.” Olivia Dean landed four nominations, including Best New Artist and Viewers’ Choice for “Man I Need.”
This year, several nominees are in multiple categories due to collaborations. Latto appears twice in the Best Collaboration field thanks to “Errtime Remix” with Cardi B and Jeezy, alongside “Go Girl” with Summer Walker and Doja Cat, who also secured two BET Her nominations. Alongside a Best Actress nod, Teyana Taylor received recognition for Video Director of the Year and Video of the Year for “Escape Room (Short Film).”
The biggest addition to this year’s ceremony arrives through BET’s new Pulse Award category, which recognizes creators and media platforms shaping online conversation. Nominees include The 85 South Show, R&B Money Podcast, On the Radar, Joe and Jada, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Charlamagne Tha God, Druski, Don Lemon, and It Is What It Is.
Connie Orlando returns as Executive Producer for this year’s ceremony, alongside Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serve as executive producers. Druski was announced as this year’s host in a star-studded promotion on YouTube and across social media.
“All of our nominees represent the very best of Black culture across music, film, sports, and beyond, and with the introduction of the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award, we’re proud to honor even more of the ways our culture continues to show up and evolve,” said Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET.
Beyond the awards show itself, BET Experience 2026 returns June 25 through June 27 with concerts, fan activations, and live events leading into the ceremony weekend. Additional announcements regarding performers and special honorees are expected in the coming weeks as anticipation continues building toward the live broadcast.
The 2026 BET Awards will air live on Sunday, June 28, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and be simulcast on BET HER, CMT, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon (NAN), Paramount, POP, VH1, Comedy Central, and TV Land.
Take a look at the full list of nominees below.
The Complete List Of Nominees for “BET Awards” 2026 Are:
- The Fashion Vanguard Award (NEW)
- A$AP Rocky
- Bad Bunny
- Beyoncé
- Cardi B
- Colman Domingo
- Doechii
- Rihanna
- Teyana Taylor
- Zendaya
- The Pulse Award (NEW)
- 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
- GIVĒON
- 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
- 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$AP Rocky
- Baby Keem
- BigXthaPlug
- DaBaby
- Don Toliver
- Drake
- J. Cole
- Kendrick Lamar
- T.I.
- Best Female Hip Hop Artist
- Cardi B
- Coi Leray
- Doechii
- Doja Cat
- GloRilla
- Latto
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Monaleo
- YK Niece
- Video of the Year
- “100” — Ella Mai
- “Anxiety” — Doechii
- “Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist
- “Chanel” — Tyla
- “Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyana Taylor
- “Folded” — Kehlani
- “LET ‘EM KNOW” — T.I.
- “luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- Video Director of the Year
- A$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
- 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
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.essence.com ’
