The nominations for the 2026 BET Awards have officially been announced, with Cardi B emerging as the top nominee with six nods ahead of this year’s ceremony scheduled for June 28 in Los Angeles.
Trailing closely behind are Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist, who each secured five nominations, while artistes including Doechii, Doja Cat, Latto and Teyana Taylor earned four nominations each.
Cardi B’s nominations include Album of the Year for Am I The Drama?, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Viewer’s Choice Award, Best Collaboration, Video Director of the Year alongside Patientce Foster, and the newly introduced Fashion Vanguard Award.
This year’s edition also introduces two new categories, the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award, aimed at recognizing cultural influence beyond music alone.
African artistes also made a strong impact across major categories, underscoring the continued global rise of Afrobeats and R&B crossover sounds.
Tems stands out among this year’s African nominees, earning nods for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, BET Her, and Viewers’ Choice for her work on First and key collaborations. Her nominations reflect her growing dominance in global R&B and alternative music spaces.
South Africa’s Tyla also continues her rapid global ascent, securing nominations for Video of the Year and Viewers’ Choice for her hit Chanel, further cementing her breakout success on international charts.
In the collaboration space, Nigerian stars Wizkid and Asake feature in the Best Group category for their joint project, highlighting the continued global appeal of Afrobeats partnerships. Burna Boy also secured a major nomination, continuing his strong international awards presence.
In the film and television categories, nominees include Cynthia Erivo, Ayo Edebiri, Michael B. Jordan and Damson Idris.
The ceremony will be hosted by Druski and is set to take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28, 2026.
