‘BET Awards’ Announces 2021 Nominations | Register for LIVE Show

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.

Megan Thee Stallion, claims one of the top spots securing seven nominations for ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ for WAP, ‘Album of the Year,’ for Good News, ‘Viewer’s Choice Award (x2),’ and ‘Best Collaboration,’ for her features with DaBaby (Cry Baby) and Cardi B (WAP).

DaBaby claims the other top spot securing seven nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ for Blame it on Baby, ‘Viewer’s Choice Award,’ and four nods for ‘Best Collaboration’ for his features alongside Roddy Ricch (Rockstar), Megan Thee Stallion (Cry Baby), Pop Smoke & Lil Baby (For The Night), and Jack Harlow Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne (Whats Poppin- Remix).

As for the Award show returning with a live audience this year; “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,” stated 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.”

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. Beginning today, vaccinated individuals can register here for consideration to be part of the “BET Awards” 2021 live show audience. BET will work closely with Los Angeles County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

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
H.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
J. COLE
JACK HARLOW
LIL BABY
POP SMOKE

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
BEBE WINANS – IN JESUS NAME
CECE WINANS – NEVER LOST
H.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

YOUNGSTARS 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

BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The “BET Awards” 2021 nominations (‘Viewer’s Choice Award: Best New International Act’ will be released at a later date). The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and creative arts.

Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT and MTV Brazil at 9 pm BRT on June 27th, followed by international broadcasts on MTV UK on June 28th at 9 pm BST, BET France on June 29th at 8:45pm CEST. The show will also be available to watch on My5 and Sky On-Demand in the UK beginning June 29th.