By: Alyssa Wilson

The nominees for the 2021 BET Awards were announced on Thursday, ahead of the live show on Sunday, June 27. The awards will showcase the best of Black culture and experiences in music, television, film and sports.  

People who are fully vaccinated can sit in the audience of the in-person show. BET is working with health officials in Los Angeles County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure the following of state and local COVID-19 protocols.  

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Rapper Megan Thee Stallion is nominated in numerous categories, including Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year, Album of the Year, Viewer’s Choice Awards and Best Collaboration. DaBaby is nominated for Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Album of the Year, Viewer’s Choice Award and four times for Best Collaboration. Cardi B and Drake each have five nominations, while Anderson. Paak, Bruno Mars, Chloe X Halle and Chris Brown were nominated four times.  

The nominees for the 2021 BET Awards 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 

  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