Cardi B. leads the pack with six nominations for the 2026 BET Awards, which revealed its annual list of nominees Tuesday for the year’s best creative expression and Black excellence in music, TV, film, and sports.

Kendrick Lamar, who won a leading four BET Awards in 2025, scored five nominations this year, tied for the second most with Mariah the Scientist. Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto had four noms apiece.

Winners will be revealed during a ceremony June 28 airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and simulcast on Paramount siblings BET Her, CMT, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Pop, VH1, Comedy Central and TV Land.

Cardi B’s noms include for Best Female Hip Hop Artist, an award she has won three previous times, She’s also up for the Fashion Vanguard Award, one of two new categories this year along with the Pulse Award.

The fashion award will “recognize a global figure whose fashion presence has had long-standing cultural impact, has significantly influenced style narratives, and continues to elevate fashion as a form of storytelling across music, film, sports, and public life.” Joining Cardi B. on this year’s inaugural noms list: A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Colman Domingo, Doechii, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor and Zendaya.

The Pulse Award, created to “recognize 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” across social media, streaming and podcasting, includes nominees 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.

Oscar Best Picture winner One Battle After Another and Oscar noms record holder Sinners are among the nominees for the BET Best Movie category, with the former’s Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall and the latter’s Best Actor Oscar winner Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo among those nommed in the acting races.

Check out the full list of nominees below.

BET Awards Nominations 2026

The Fashion Vanguard Award

A$AP Rocky
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Cardi B
Colman Domingo
Doechii
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
Zendaya

The Pulse Award

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