Cardi B is heading into the 2026 BET Awards nominations with the biggest stack of nods, earning six in total. Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow with five apiece, while Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto each picked up four. In other words, the ballot is crowded, expensive-looking, and not short on arguments for group chats.
The 2026 BET Awards will air live Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Nominees were chosen by the BET Voting Academy, a group made up of entertainment professionals and influencers working across music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and the creative arts.
Who is leading the 2026 BET Awards field?
Cardi B’s six nominations span several corners of the show. She is up for the new Fashion Vanguard Award, Best Collaboration for “Errtime Remix” featuring 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.”
Kendrick Lamar’s five nominations include Best Collaboration for both “Chains & Whips” with Clipse and “Good Flirts” with Baby Keem and Momo Boyd. He is also nominated for 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.”
A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I. and YK Niece each received three nominations.
What is new at this year’s BET Awards?
BET is adding two categories this year: the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award. The first is self-explanatory enough, since red carpets have long been treated like competitive sports with better tailoring. The second honors “a creator, campaign, or content series that most powerfully moved Black culture forward in digital spaces by sparking conversation, building community, and defining the moment online,” according to BET’s announcement.
Connie Orlando, BET’s executive vice president of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy, said the new categories reflect the wider reach of the culture being celebrated.
“All of our nominees represent the very best of Black culture across music, film, sports, and beyond, and with the introduction of the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award, we’re proud to honor even more of the ways our culture continues to show up and evolve,” Orlando said.
Orlando is also serving as an executive producer for the 2026 show. Jesse Collins Entertainment is producing the ceremony, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
Complete list of 2026 BET Awards nominees
The Fashion Vanguard Award (New)
- A$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
- “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
