The BET Awards, which recently revealed that it would be holding its 2021 ceremony live at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, has just announced their nominees for this year.
Usually this is the part where we highlight the Blackity-black nominees but seeing as how this is the BET Awards where they usually highlight the best in Blackity-Black entertainment—let’s just get to the good stuff, shall we? (Though I gotta say, Jack Harlow securing a nom for Best New Artists def got some eyebrow raises from a few folks online). But like I said, let’s get to the good stuff.
Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby are both standouts this year, each artist securing seven nominations. Megan is up for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year for “WAP,” Album of the Year for Good News, two Viewer’s Choice Awards and Best Collaboration for her features with DaBaby on “Cry Baby” and Cardi B on “WAP.”
DaBaby’s seven nominations include: 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 “Rockstar” with Roddy Ricch, “Cry Baby” with Megan Thee Stallion, “For The Night” with Pop Smoke and Lil Baby and “What’s Poppin’ (Remix )“ with Jack Harlow, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne.
Closely following are Drake and Cardi B, who each got five nominations each. Champagne Papi, who also just received the Artist of the Decade Award this past Sunday at the Billboard Music Awards was recognized for Best Collaboration, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year for “Laugh Now Cry Later” with Lil Durk and a Viewer’s Choice Award.
Congrats are also in order for Cardi B, who snagged noms for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration, Video of the Year, (twice for “WAP” and “UP”) and a Viewer’s Choice Award.
Additional musicians up for awards include: Burna Boy, WizKid, Doja Cat, Saweetie, J. Cole, Migos, City Girls, Chloe x Halle, The Weeknd, Jazmine Sullivan, Bruno Mars & Anderson Paak. (aka Silk Sonic), H.E.R., Beyoncé, Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, Kirk Franklin, Chris Brown and more.
On the acting front, Viola Davis, Issa Rae, Angela Bassett and Zendaya were all recognized for Best Actress alongside Andra Day and Jurnee Smollett.
Best Actor nominees include British bruvs Daniel Kaluuya and Damson Idris as well as Aldis Hodge, Eddie Murphy, Lakeith Stanfield and the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
And you know I couldn’t leave off without mentioning the noms for Best Movie, which include: Coming 2 America, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Soul, The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and my personal faves of the season—Judas and the Black Messiah and One Night in Miami.
Big ups to all who were recognized! The 2021 BET Awards goes down Sunday, June 27, live from Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET. To view the full list of nominees, head on over to bet.com.