BET Awards 2026: Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Doja Cat Lead the List of Nominations

The nominations were announced Tuesday for the 2026 BET Awards, with Cardi B topping the list of nominees.

The “Bodega Baddie” rapper picked up a total of six nominations — in the categories of Best Collaboration for “Errtime Remix” feat. Jeezy and Latto; Best Female Hip Hop Artist; Video Director of the Year with Patientce Foster; Album of the Year for Am I the Drama?; Fashion Vanguard Award; and Viewers’ Choice for “Outside.”

She was followed by Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist, who tied with five nominations each. Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto all picked up four nominations.

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BET is adding two new categories this year — Fashion Vanguard Award and Pulse Award.

Fashion Vanguard recognizes “a global figure whose fashion presence has had a long-standing cultural impact.” The nominees include 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.” The nominees are “85 South Show,” “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer,” “It Is What It Is,” “Joe and Jada,” “On the Radar,” “R&B Money Podcast,” Charlamagne Tha God, Don Lemon, and Druski.

“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, executive vice president of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET.

The winners will be announced on Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET.

Below is the complete list of nominations for the 2026 BET Awards. For a full roundup of BET Awards coverage, head over to the official website.

Fashion Vanguard Award (NEW)
A$AP Rocky
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Cardi B
Colman Domingo
Doechii
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
Zendaya

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
GIVE?ON
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