Rapper Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with 10 nods heading into tonight’s presentation of the 2025 BET Awards, while Doechii, Drake, Future and GloRilla all have six. The awards honor individuals who contribute to Black culture as writers, musicians, filmmakers, philanthropists and more.
Among the nods for Lamar are a nomination for best male hip-hop artist, a category that also includes BigXThaPlug, BossMan Dlow, Burna Boy, Drake, Future, Key Glock, Lil Wayne and Tyler, The Creator. Nominated for best female hip hop artist are Cardi B, Doechii, Doja Cat, GloRilla, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Rapsody and Sexxy Red.
Drake is also up for best male R&B/Pop Artist, along with Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Fridayy, Leon Thomas, Teddy Swims, The Weeknd and Usher. Competing for best female R&B/Pop Artist will be Ari Lennox, Ayra Starr, Coco Jones, Kehlani, Muni Long, Summer Walker, SZA and Victoria Monét.
Rap rivals Lamar and Drake will compete head-to-head in the Album of the Year category. Lamar is nominated for his album “GNX,” while Drake and PartyNextDoor are nominated for “$Some $Sexy $Songs 4 U.” Also nominated are Chris Brown for “11:11 Deluxe,” Doechii for “Alligator Bites Never Heal,” Beyoncé for “Cowboy Carter,” GloRilla for “Glorious,” The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” and Future and Metro Boomin for “We Don’t Trust You.”
The BET Awards will be presented at the Peacock Theater in downtownLos Angeles, in a ceremony hosted by Kevin Hart, who is also nominated for best actor. Hart will compete with Aaron Pierre, Aldis Hodge, Anthony Mackie, Colman Domingo, Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Joey Bada$$, Sterling K. Brown and Will Smith. Competing for best actress honors will be Andra Day, Angela Bassett, Coco Jones, Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer, Kerry Washington, Quinta Brunson, Viola Davis and Zendaya.
Nominated for best movie are “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F,” “Luther: Never Too Much,” “Mufasa: The Lion King,” “One of Them Days,” “Rebel Ridge,” “The Piano Lesson” and “The Six Triple Eight.”
During the show, Singer Mariah Carey, rapper/producer Snoop Dogg, Oscar and Grammy winner Jamie Foxx and gospel legend Kirk Franklin will be presented with BET Ultimate Icon Awards. The award honors “decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact.” Previous recipients of the BET Ultimate Icon Award include Janet Jackson, Deborah L. Lee and Tyler Perry.
Lil Wayne, Teyana Taylor, GloRilla, Playboi Carti and Leon Thomas are all scheduled to perform during the show. The show will also feature a 25th anniversary tribute to the music video countdown show “106 & Park,” featuring a reunion of former hosts AJ Calloway, Free Marie Wright, Julissa Bermudez, Keshia Chanté, Rocsi Diaz and Terrence J. The tribute will also feature performances from previous host Bow Wow, Amerie, B2K, Jim Jones, Mya and T.I.
Here is a complete list of nominations:
Album of the Year
Drake and PartyNextDoor, “$Some $Sexy $Songs 4 U”
Chris Brown, “11:11 Deluxe”
Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal”
Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter”
GloRilla, “Glorious”
Kendric Lamar, “GNX”
The Weeknd, “Hurry Up Tomorrow”
Future and Metro Boomin, “We Don’t Trust You”
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Ari Lennox
Ayra Starr
Coco Jones
Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Victoria Monét
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
Leon Thomas
Teddy Swims
The Weeknd
Usher
Best Group
41
Common and Pete Rock
Drake and PartyNextDoor,
FLO
Future and Metro Boomin
Jaquees and Dej Loaf
Larry June, 2 Chainz, The Alchemist
Maverick City Music
Best Collaboration
SZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar, “30 For 30”
Doechii Featuring JT, “Alter Ego”
Teddy swims Featuring Giveon, “Are You Even Real”
Dee Billz Featuring Kyle Richh, Kai Swervo, KJ Swervo, “Beckham”
Lil Wayne, Wheezy and Young Thug, “Bless”
Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”
Kendrick Lamar and Sza, “Luther”
Tyler, The Creator Featuring Glorilla, Sexxy Red and Lil Wayne, “Sticky”
The Weeknd Featuring Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Rapsody
Sexxy Red
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
BigXThaPlug
BossMan Dlow
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Key Glock
Lil Wayne
Tyler, The Creator
Video of the Year
Key Glock, “3AM in ToKEYo”
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Kehlani, “After Hours”
Doechii, “Denial is a River”
Drake, “Family Matters”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
The Weeknd Featuring Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Future, Metro Boomin Travis Scott and Playboi Carti, “Type Shit”
Video Director of the Year
Anderson .Paak
B Pace Productions and Jacquees
Benny Boom
Cactus Jack
Cole Bennett
Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar
Dave Meyers
Foggieraw
Tyler, The Creator
Best New Artist
41
Ayra Starr
BigXThaPlug
BossMan Dlow
Dee Billz
Leon Thomas
October London
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspiration Award
Common and Pete Rock Featuring Jennifer Hudson, “A God (There Is)”
Pastor Mike Jr., “Amen”
Fridayy, “Better Days”
Yolanda Adams Featuring Sir The Baptist and Donald Lawrence, “Church
Doors (Terry Hunter Remix)”
Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore and Anthony
Gargiula, “Constant”
Tamela Mann, “Deserve to Win”
Rapsody, “Faith”
GloRilla Featuring Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, “Rain Down on Me”
Viewer’s Choice Award
Chris Brown, “Residuals”
Doechii, “Denial is a River”
Drake, “Nokia”
Future and Metro Boomin Featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”
GloRilla, “TGIF”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA, “Luther”
Latto, “Brokey”
Best International Act
Any Gabrielly (Brazil)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Bashy (United Kingdom)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Ezra Collective (United Kingdom)
Joé Dwét Filé (France)
Mc Luanna (Brazil)
Rema (Nigeria)
SDM (France)
Tyla (South Africa)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
Best New International Act
Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
Ajuliacosta (Brazil)
Amabbi (Brazil)
Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
Dr Yaro (France)
KWN (United Kingdom)
Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)
Merveille (France)
Odeal (United Kingdom)
Shallipopi (Nigeria)
TxC (South Africa)
BET Her
Mary J. Blige, “Beautiful People”
Beyoncé Featuring Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and
Reyna Roberts, “Blackbird”
Doechii, “Bloom”
Tems, “Burning”
Cynthia Erivo Featuring Ariana Grande, “Defying Grafity”
Summer Walker, “Heart of a woman”
Tems, “Hold on”
FLO and GloRilla, “In My Bag”
Best Movie
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die”
“Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”
“Luther: Never Too Much”
“Mufasa: The Lion King”
“One of Them Days”
“Rebel Ridge”
“The Piano Lesson”
“The Six Triple Eight”
Best Actor
Aaron Pierre
Aldis Hodge
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Denzel Washington
Jamie Foxx
Joey Bada$$
Kevin Hart
Sterling K. Brown
Will Smith
Best Actress
Andra Day
Angela Bassett
Coco Jones
Cynthia Erivo
Keke Palmer
Kerry Washington
Quinta Brunson
Viola Davis
Zendaya
Youngstars Award
Akira Akbar
Blue Ivy Carter
Graceyn `Gracie’ Hollingsworth
Heiress Harris
Melody Hurd
Thaddeus J. Mixson
Tyrik Johnson
VanVan
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Angel Reese
Claressa Shields
Coco Gauff
Dawn Staley
Flau’Jae Johnson
Juju Watkins
Sha’carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Sportsman of the Year Award
Aaron Judge
Anthony Edwards
Deion Sanders
Jalen Hurts
Jayson Tatum
Lebron James
Saquon Barkley
Stephen Curry
