2026 BET Awards Nominations Announced: Cardi B Leads With Six Nods

The 2026 BET Awards have unveiled their complete nomination roster, spotlighting achievements in music, television, film, and sports.

Cardi B dominates the field with six nominations, while Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist each secured five nominations. The awards ceremony, which will be hosted by Druski, airs live on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET and will be broadcast simultaneously across BET HER, CMT, LOGO, MTV, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount, POP, VH1, Comedy Central, and TV Land.

The selections were made by the BET Voting Academy, a collective of industry veterans and influential figures spanning music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts. According to BET, the nominees exemplify "multifaceted creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film, and sports."

This year marks the introduction of two fresh categories. The Fashion Vanguard Award honors "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." The Pulse Award recognizes "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. This award celebrates the intersection of creativity, authenticity, and cultural impact across social media, streaming, podcasting, and beyond."

"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," said BET's Connie Orlando.

Contenders for the Fashion Vanguard Award include A$AP Rocky, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Cardi B, Colman Domingo, Doechii, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor, and Zendaya. The Pulse Award nominees span media personalities, podcasters, and digital content creators, including Charlamagne Tha God, Don Lemon, and Druski himself.

Across music categories, SZA, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, and Usher headline the Best Female and Male R&B/Pop Artist races, while Kendrick Lamar and Cardi B lead the hip-hop categories. The Best Collaboration field features major partnerships, and the Album of the Year nominees include projects from Tyler, the Creator, J. Cole, and Bruno Mars.

Film and television honorees include Angela Bassett, Cynthia Erivo, Denzel Washington, and Michael B. Jordan for acting categories. The sports awards recognize standout athletes including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Coco Gauff, and Sha'Carri Richardson.

Additional honorees and performance lineups will be announced in the coming weeks.