Preezy Brown
View all posts by Preezy Brown May 19, 2026
Cardi B attends the 2026 Met Gala. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Cardi B leads the 2026 BET Awards nominations. BET announced the nominees on Tuesday (May 19), setting the stage for another major celebration of Black excellence across music, entertainment, sports, and culture.
Leading the pack, the rap star earned six nominations, the most of any artist. Cardi B’s standout nods include Album of the Year for her chart-topping sophomore project Am I the Drama?, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration for “Errtime Remix” featuring Jeezy and Latto, Video Director of the Year alongside Patience Foster, and the Viewer’s Choice Award.
The Bronx native has won six BET Awards throughout her career, including back-to-back Best Female Hip Hop Artist wins in 2018 and 2019, Album of the Year for her multiplatinum debut Invasion of Privacy, and Video of the Year and Best Collaboration for “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion in 2021.
Several other artists also secured multiple nominations across major categories. Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow closely behind with five nominations each, while Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto each received four nods. A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I., and YK Niece all earned three nominations apiece, reflecting the broad range of talent represented this year.
The 2026 BET Awards will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air live on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Ahead of the main event, BET Experience 2026 (BETX) will return from June 25-27, bringing fans three days of immersive events and live experiences as part of what the network continues to brand as “Culture’s Biggest Week.”
This year’s ceremony will also introduce two new categories celebrating influence beyond traditional entertainment spaces. The inaugural Fashion Vanguard Award nominees include A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Cardi B, Colman Domingo, Doechii, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor, and Zendaya. Meanwhile, the newly launched Pulse Award will recognize impactful voices in media and podcasting, with nominees including 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, and R&B Money Podcast.
Editor’s picks
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“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,” Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy at BET, said in a statement.
Additional announcements, including performers and special honorees, are expected in the coming weeks.
See the full list of nominees below:
