Show will air live from Los Angeles on June 27th

BET has announced the BET Awards 2021 nominees with Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby leading the pack with seven nominations respectively. 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 from the Microsoft Theater at LA Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 27th on BET at 8 pm ET/ PT.

“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,” shares 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.”

Megan Thee Stallion, who left her mark in last year’s telecast with her Mad Max inspired performance for “Girls in The Hood” and “Savage,” 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”). After his searing and powerful “Rockstar” performance at last year’s show, 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”).

Cardi B and Drake garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Cardi B’s nods include Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration, Video of the Year, twice for “WAP” and “Up.” Drake’s nods include Best Collaboration, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year for “Laugh Now Cry Later” featuring Lil Durk and Viewer’s Choice Award. Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, Chloe X Halle, and Chris Brown are the third-highest with four nominations each and are all up for the coveted Video of the Year award.

Culture’s biggest night, the BET Awards, continues its reign in its 25 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 show returns this year with a live show audience. Vaccinated individuals can register for consideration to be part of the live audience. BET will work closely with Los Angeles County to support community vaccination efforts and ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

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.

Voting for for the 2021 Viewer’s Choice Award begins on June 7th.

Album of the Year
  • After Hours – The Weekend
  • 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/Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
  • DaBaby/Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
  • DJ Khaled/Drake – “Popstar”
  • Jack Harrow/DaBaby/Tory Lanez/Lil Wayne – “Whats Poppin’ (Remix)”
  • Megan Thee Stallion/DaBaby – “Cry Baby”
  • Pop Smoke/Lil Baby/DaBaby – “For The Night”
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
  • Beyonce
  • H.E.R.
  • Jazmine Sullivan
  • Jhene 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
  • Darke
  • 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/Khalid – “So Done”
  • Brandy/Chance the Rapper – “Baby Mama”
  • Bri Stevens – “Anti Queen”
  • Chloe X Halle – “Baby Girl”
  • Ciara/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/Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
  • Chris Brown/Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
  • DaBaby/Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
  • DJ Khaled/Drake – “Popstar”
  • Drake/Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
  • Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
  • Megan Thee Stallion/Beyonce – “Savage (Remix)”
  • Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
Video of the Year
  • Cardi B – “Up”
  • Cardi B/Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
  • Chloe X Halle – “Do It”
  • Chris Brown & Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
  • Drake/Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
  • Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
Video Director of the Year
  • Benny Boom
  • Bruno Mars & Florent Dechard
  • Cole Bennett
  • Colin Tilley
  • Dave Meyers
  • Hype Williams