Cardi B leads the nominations for the 2026 BET Awards with six nods, followed by Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist, with five nods each; and Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto, with four nods each.
A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I. and YK Niece each received three nods.
Mariah the Scientist, Taylor and Kehlani were each honored at the Billboard Women in Music event on April 29. Mariah the Scientist won the Rising Star award, Taylor took the Visionary award and Kehlani received the Impact award.
Lamar won five Grammys on Feb. 1, including best record of the year and best melodic rap performance for “Luther,” his megahit collab with SZA. Here, that smash is nominated for video of the year.
Clipse’s Let God Sort ‘Em Out, which received a 2026 Grammy nomination for album of the year, is also nominated in that category here. Olivia Dean, who won the Grammy for best new artist on Feb. 1, is also nominated in that category here. She is competing here with RAYE, who was Grammy-nominated in that category at the 2025 ceremony.
One Battle After Another and Sinners, which were both nominated for best picture at the 2026 Oscars (One Battle won) are both nominated here for best movie. (So is Wicked: For Good, which was completely blanked in the Oscar nominations.)
Sinners star Michael B. Jordan, who won an Oscar for best actor on March 15, is nominated in that category here. Delroy Lindo and Teyana Taylor, who were Oscar-nominated for their supporting performances in Sinners and One Battle, respectively, are also nominated here.
BET has added two new categories this year. The Fashion Vanguard Award recognizes a global figure whose fashion presence has had long-standing cultural impact, has significantly influenced style narratives, and continues to elevate fashion as a form of storytelling across music, film, sports and public life. This year’s nominees are A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Cardi B, Colman Domingo, Doechii, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor and Zendaya.
The Pulse Award recognizes a creator, campaign or content series that most powerfully moved Black culture forward in digital spaces by sparking conversation, building community and defining the moment online. This year’s nominees are 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 and R&B Money Podcast.
“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,” Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy at BET, said in a statement.
Orlando serves as executive producer for the 2026 BET Awards. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
Nominees were selected by the BET Voting Academy, which is comprised of entertainment professionals and influencers in the fields of music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and creative arts.
The 2026 BET Awards, hosted by Druski, will air live on Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and will be simulcast on BET HER, CMT, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon (NAN), Paramount, POP, VH1, Comedy Central and TV Land.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2026 BET Awards. They are divided into Music, General, Film/TV and Sports categories, followed by a list of top nominees in numerical order.
Music Categories
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
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 Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Monaleo
YK Niece
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
A$AP Rocky
Baby Keem
BigXthaPlug
DaBaby
Don Toliver
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.
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 New Artist
Belly Gang Kushington
DESTIN CONRAD
JayDon
kwn
Miles Minnick
Monaleo
Olivia Dean
RAYE
Trap Dickey
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.
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
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
General Categories
The Fashion Vanguard Award (New)
A$AP Rocky
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Cardi B
Colman Domingo
Doechii
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
Zendaya
The Pulse Award (New)
85 South Show
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
Charlamagne Tha God
Don Lemon
Druski
It Is What It Is
Joe and Jada
On the Radar
R&B Money Podcast
Film & TV Categories
Best Movie
Highest 2 Lowest
Him
Number One on the Call Sheet
One Battle After Another
Relationship Goals
Ruth & Boaz
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Chase Infiniti
Coco Jones
Cynthia Erivo
Keke Palmer
Quinta Brunson
Regina Hall
Teyana Taylor
Best Actor
Aaron Pierre
Aldis Hodge
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Delroy Lindo
Denzel Washington
Michael B. Jordan
Sterling K. Brown
YoungStars Award
Daria Johns
Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth
Heiress Harris
Jazzy’s World TV
Lela Hoffmeister
North West
Thaddeus J. Mixson
VanVan
Sports Categories
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson — Basketball
Angel Reese — Basketball
Claressa Shields — Boxing
Coco Gauff — Tennis
Flau’jae Johnson — Basketball
Gabby Thomas — Track & Field
Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics
Naomi Osaka — Tennis
Sha’Carri Richardson — Track & Field
Sportsman of the Year Award
Aaron Judge — Baseball
Anthony Edwards — Basketball
Caleb Williams — Football
Jalen Brunson — Basketball
Jalen Hurts — Football
LeBron James — Basketball
Shedeur Sanders — Football
Stephen Curry — Basketball
Most nominations in numerical order
Cardi B, 6
Kendrick Lamar, 5
Mariah the Scientist, 5
Doechii, 4
Doja Cat, 4
Clipse, 4
Teyana Taylor, 4
Olivia Dean, 4
Latto, 4
A$AP Rocky, 3
Bruno Mars, 3
Bryson Tiller, 3
Chris Brown, 3
Jill Scott, 3
Kehlani, 3
Metro Boomin, 3
SZA, 3
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, 3
T.I., 3
YK Niece, 3