Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah the Scientist Lead 2026 BET Awards Nominations

Kris Avalon
10h
5 min read

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.

via: Variety

A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I. and YK Niece receive three nominations each. The full list of nominations appears below.

“BET Awards” 2026 will air live on Sunday, June 28, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.

Nominations 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.

Cardi’s nominations include Fashion Vanguard, 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?” and Viewers’ Choice for “Outside.”

Lamar’s five nominations include Best Collaboration for both “Chains & Whips” with Clipse and “Good Flirts” with Baby Keem & Momo Boyd, Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Video of the Year for “Luther” with SZA and Viewers’ Choice for “Chains & Whips” with Clipse.

Mariah the Scientist’s five nominations include Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best Collaboration for “Is It a Crime” with Kali Uchis, Video of the Year for “Burning Blue,” Album of the Year for “Hearts Sold Separately” and Viewers’ Choice for “Burning Blue.”

New categories include Fashion Vanguard and Pulse Awards, with the latter recognizing “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,” according to the announcement.

“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, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET.

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy, serves as Executive Producer for “BET Awards” 2026. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as Executive Producers.

The Complete List Of Nominees for “BET Awards” 2026 Are:

● 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

● 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 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