BET has today announced the “BET AWARDS” 2021 nominees with Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby leading the pack with seven nominations each. This year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film, and sports. The “BET AWARDS” 2021 will air LIVE, Sunday, June 27 on BET at 8 pm ET/ PT.
“We are back and excited to bring culture’s biggest night, the 2021 ‘BET Awards,’ safely back to Los Angeles to celebrate this year’s incredible roster of nominees,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy. “We broke ground as one of the first official award shows to move forward during the global pandemic and we are ready to take our pioneer status to the next level with the return of an audience to celebrate the best and brightest creative minds in the entertainment industry.”
Cardi B and Drake garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, Chloe X Halle, and Chris Brown are the third-highest with four nominations each and are all up for the coveted ‘Video of the Year’ award.
Culture’s biggest night, the “BET AWARDS,” continues its reign in its twenty-first year as the ultimate platform to showcase the best, brightest, and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change.
Following last year’s groundbreaking virtual awards show, the “BET AWARDS” returns this year with a live show audience. Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT.
The complete list of nominees for the “BET AWARDS” 2021 are:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
- AFTER HOURS – THE WEEKND
- BLAME IT ON BABY – DABABY
- GOOD NEWS – MEGAN THEE STALLION
- HEAUX TALES – JAZMINE SULLIVAN
- KING’S DISEASE – NAS
- UNGODLY HOUR – CHLOE X HALLE
BEST COLLABORATION
- CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP
- DABABY FT. RODDY RICCH – ROCKSTAR
- DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – POPSTAR
- JACK HARLOW FT. DABABY, TORY LANEZ & LIL WAYNE – WHATS POPPIN (REMIX)
- MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. DABABY – CRY BABY
- POP SMOKE FT. LIL BABY & DABABY – FOR THE NIGHT
BEST FEMALE R&B / POP ARTIST
- BEYONCÉ
- E.R.
- JAZMINE SULLIVAN
- JHENÉ AIKO
- SUMMER WALKER
- SZA
BEST MALE R&B / POP ARTIST
- 6LACK
- ANDERSON .PAAK
- CHRIS BROWN
- GIVEON
- TANK
- THE WEEKND
BEST NEW ARTIST
- COI LERAY
- FLO MILLI
- GIVEON
- JACK HARLOW
- LATTO
- POOH SHIESTY
BEST GROUP
- 21 SAVAGE & METRO BOOMIN
- CHLOE X HALLE
- CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG
- CITY GIRLS
- MIGOS
- SILK SONIC
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
- CARDI B
- COI LERAY
- DOJA CAT
- MEGAN THEE STALLION
- LATTO
- SAWEETIE
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
- DABABY
- DRAKE
- COLE
- JACK HARLOW
- LIL BABY
- POP SMOKE
- BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
- BEBE WINANS – IN JESUS NAME
- CECE WINANS – NEVER LOST
- E.R. – HOLD US TOGETHER
- KIRK FRANKLIN – STRONG GOD
- MARVIN SAPP – THANK YOU FOR IT ALL
- TAMELA MANN – TOUCH FROM YOU
BET HER AWARD
- ALICIA KEYS FT. KHALID – SO DONE
- BRANDY FT. CHANCE THE RAPPER – BABY MAMA
- BRI STEVES – ANTI QUEEN
- CHLOE X HALLE – BABY GIRL
- CIARA FT. ESTER DEAN – ROOTED
- SZA – GOOD DAYS
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
- AYA NAKAMURA (FRANCE)
- BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
- DIAMOND PLATNUMZ (TANZANIA)
- EMICIDA (BRAZIL)
- HEADIE ONE (UK)
- WIZKID (NIGERIA)
- YOUNG T & BUGSEY (UK)
- YOUSSOUPHA (FRANCE)
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
- CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP
- CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG – GO CRAZY
- DABABY FT. RODDY RICCH – ROCKSTAR
- DJ KHALED FT. DRAKE – POPSTAR
- DRAKE FT. LIL DURK – LAUGH NOW CRY LATER
- LIL BABY – THE BIGGER PICTURE
- MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. BEYONCÉ – SAVAGE (REMIX)
- SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- CARDI B – UP
- CARDI B FT. MEGAN THEE STALLION – WAP
- CHLOE X HALLE – DO IT
- CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG – GO CRAZY
- DRAKE FT. LIL DURK – LAUGH NOW CRY LATER
- SILK SONIC – LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
- BENNY BOOM
- BRUNO MARS AND FLORENT DÉCHARD
- COLE BENNETT
- COLIN TILLEY
- DAVE MEYERS
- HYPE WILLIAMS
BEST MOVIE
- COMING 2 AMERICA
- JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
- MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
- ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
- SOUL
- THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
BEST ACTRESS
- ANDRA DAY
- ANGELA BASSETT
- ISSA RAE
- JURNEE SMOLLETT
- VIOLA DAVIS
- ZENDAYA
BEST ACTOR
- ALDIS HODGE
- CHADWICK BOSEMAN
- DAMSON IDRIS
- DANIEL KALUUYA
- EDDIE MURPHY
- LAKEITH STANFIELD
YOUNG STARS AWARD
- ALEX R. HIBBERT
- ETHAN HUTCHISON
- LONNIE CHAVIS
- MARSAI MARTIN
- MICHAEL EPPS
- STORM REID
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
- A’JA WILSON
- CANDACE PARKER
- CLARESSA SHIELDS
- NAOMI OSAKA
- SERENA WILLIAMS
- SKYLAR DIGGINS-SMITH
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
- KYRIE IRVING
- LEBRON JAMES
- PATRICK MAHOMES
- RUSSELL WESTBROOK
- RUSSELL WILSON
- STEPHEN CURRY
Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serve as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards” 2021 broadcast special.
Voting for the “BET AWARDS” 2021 ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ begins on June 7th.