Drake has experienced a tumultuous month, engaging in an increasingly personal diss battle with Kendrick Lamar that has seemingly ended in his defeat. However, on Thursday, May 16, he received some uplifting news: he leads the nominations for the 2024 BET Awards.
Drake has garnered seven nominations, closely followed by Nicki Minaj with six. J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA, and Victoria Monét each received five nominations. Meanwhile, 21 Savage, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, and Usher each secured four nods.
The 2024 BET Awards, which proudly dubs itself as “Culture’s Biggest Night,” will be broadcast live from Los Angeles on BET on Sunday, June 30, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year’s theme, “Standing on Culture,” highlights the event’s commitment to celebrating and preserving cultural heritage.
BET has also announced the first wave of artists confirmed to perform at the event: GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, and Victoria Monét are set to light up the stage with their performances.
Among the nominees for Album of the Year are Monét’s “Jaguar II,” which won a Grammy in February for Best R&B Album, and Killer Mike’s “Michael,” which won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. They are joined by Chris Brown’s “11:11,” Gunna’s “A Gift & A Curse,” 21 Savage’s “American Dream,” Usher’s “Coming Home,” Drake’s “For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition),” and Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday 2.”
Monét’s “On My Mama,” which was Grammy-nominated for Record of the Year, is also nominated for the Viewer’s Choice Award. Other nominees in this category include Lil Durk featuring J. Cole’s “All My Life,” which won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the Grammys, and Tyla’s “Water,” which received the inaugural award for Best African Music Performance.
Both Drake and Burna Boy have earned nominations for BET Awards in the categories of Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, showcasing their broad appeal. Doja Cat is nominated in the equivalent categories for female artists, further underscoring her versatility and widespread popularity.
In the film categories, the musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” and the concert film “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” are among the nominees for Best Movie. Additionally, Blue Ivy Carter, the 12-year-old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, is nominated for the YoungStars Award.
Representing Nigeria, Ayra Starr leads with three nominations for Best New Artist, Best African Act, and Best HER for her single ‘Comma’. Burna Boy earned two nominations for Best R&B/Pop Act and Best Hip-Hop Act, while Tems received two nods for Best Video Director and Best Gospel/Inspirational Song for ‘Me & U’. Davido and Lojay are nominated for the Viewers Choice Award for their collaboration on Chris Brown’s ‘Sensational’. Asake is nominated for Best International Act, and Seyi Vibez is up for the Viewers Choice Best International New Act.
Nominations were determined by the BET Voting Academy, a distinguished panel of entertainment professionals and influencers from the fields of music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.
Voting for the BET Awards’ 2024 Viewer’s Choice Award begins on June 6 and concludes on June 30.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2024 BET Awards:
Album of the year
Chris Brown – ’11:11′
Gunna – ‘A Gift & A Curse’
21 Savage – ‘American Dream’
Usher – ‘Coming Home’
Drake – ‘For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)’
Victoria Monét – ‘Jaguar II’
Killer Mike – ‘Michael’
Nicki Minaj – ‘Pink Friday 2’
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
Doja Cat
H.E.R.
Muni Long
SZA
Tyla
Victoria Monét
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bryson Tiller
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
October London
Usher
Best Group
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
41
Blxst & Bino Rideaux
City Girls
Flo
Maverick City Music
Wanmor
Best Collaboration
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole – ‘All My Life’
Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, – ‘America Has a Problem (Remix)’
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua) – ‘Barbie World’
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Bongos’
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid, Playboi Carti – ‘Carnival’
Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami – ‘Don’t Play With It (Remix)’
Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Everybody’
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage – ‘Good Good’
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’
Best Female Hiip-hop Artist
Cardi B
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Sexyy Red
Best Male Hip-hop Artist
21 Savage
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Gunna
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Wayne
Best New Artist
41
4Batz
Ayra Starr
Bossman Dlow
Fridayy
October London
Sexyy Red
Tyla
Video of the year
Doja Cat – ‘Agora Hills’
Lil Durk feat J. Cole – ‘All My Life’
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua) – ‘Barbie World’
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Bongos’
Drake feat. J. Cole – ‘First Person Shooter’
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage – ‘Good Good’
Victoria Monét – ‘On My Mama’
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’
Video Director of the year
Benny Boom
Child.
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Janelle Monáe & Alan Ferguson
Offset
Tems
Tyler, The Creator
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Shirley Caesar – ‘Award All of the Glory’
Kirk Franklin – ‘All Things’
Halle Bailey – ‘Angel’
CeCe Winans – ‘Come Jesus Come’
Erica Campbell – ‘Do You Believe in Love?’
Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore – ‘God Problems’
Tems – ‘Me & U’
Kirk Franklin – ‘Try Love’
Viewer’s Choice Award
Doja Cat – ‘Agora Hills’
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole – ‘All My Life’
Gunna – ‘Fukumean’
Jack Harlow – ‘Lovin on Me’
Muni Long – ‘Made for Me’
Victoria Monét – ‘On My Mama’
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA – ‘Rich Baby Daddy’
Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay – ‘Sensational’
Beyoncé – ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’
Tyla – ‘Water’
Best International Act
Asake (Africa)
Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Africa)
Bk’ (Brazil)
Cleo Sol (UK)
Focalistic (Africa)
Karol Conká (Brazil)
Raye (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Tyla (Africa)
Viewer’s Choice: Best new international act
Bellah (UK)
Cristale (UK)
Duquesa (Brazil)
Holly G (France)
Jungeli (France)
Makhadzi (Africa)
Oruam (Brazil)
Seyi Vibez (Africa)
Tyler Icu (Africa)
BET Her
Beyoncé – ’16 Carriages’
Nicki Minaj feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard – ‘Blessings’
Ayra Starr – ‘Commas’
Flo feat. Missy Elliott – ‘Fly Girl’
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Hiss’
Victoria Monét – ‘On My Mama’
SZA – ‘Saturn’
GloRilla – ‘Yeah Glo!’
Best Movie
American Fiction
Bob Marley: One Love
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Book of Clarence
The Color Purple
The Equalizer 3
The Little Mermaid
Best Actor
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Denzel Washington
Donald Glover
Idris Elba
Jeffrey Wright
Lakeith Stanfield
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Coco Jones
Danielle Brooks
Fantasia
Halle Bailey
Issa Rae
Regina King
YoungStars Award
Akira Akbar
Blue Ivy Carter
Demi Singleton
Heiress Diana Harris
Jabria McCullum
Jalyn Hall
Leah Jeffries
Van Van
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Angel Reese
Coco Gauff
Flau’jae Johnson
Juju Watkins
Naomi Osaka
Sha’carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Sportsman of the Year Award
Anthony Edwards
Gervonta Davis
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Hurts
Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes