2021 BET Awards Nominations Announced, Led By Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby

The culture’s biggest night in music, entertainment and sports is back to kick off the summer season! The nominations for the 2021 BET Awards have been announced and two frequent collaborators are leading the pack of nominees.

Playfully labeled by their fan bases as “work husband-and-wife,” Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby both earn seven nominations each, with their 2020 hit “Cry Baby” lifted from her Album of the Year-nominated Good News earning a nod for Best Collaboration. DaBaby’s powerful number-one hit “Rockstar” is also nominated in the same category along with the fan-voted Viewer’s Choice Award, going up against Cardi B & Megan’s “WAP,” Megan’s “Savage” with Beyoncé, Chris Brown & Young Thug’s “Go Crazy,” DJ Khaled & Drake’s “Popstar,” Drake’s “Laugh Now, Cry Later” with Lil Durk, Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” and Lil Baby’s “The Big Picture.” Voting for the Viewer’s Choice Award begins on June 7th. Cardi B and Drake are the second-most nominated artists this year with five each. Also worth noted, with her BET Her Award nomination for the Chance The Rapper-assisted “Baby Mama,” Brandy earns her first ever BET Award nomination since the show was established in 2001.

With 2020 being the year of all things virtual due to COVID-19, this year’s annual event will be back with an in-person event with the stars and audience, as long as every one has been vaccinated per BET’s press statement.

“We are back and excited to bring culture’s biggest night, the 2021 ‘BET Awards,’ safely back to Los Angeles to celebrate this year’s incredible roster of nominees,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy.

Beginning today, vaccinated individuals can register here for consideration to be part of the 2021 BET Awards live show audience.

The 2021 BET Awards will air live on Sunday, June 27th on BET and other ViacomCBS networks at 8 PM ET/ PT.

List of full nominations:

Album of the Year
After Hours — The Weeknd
Blame It On Baby — DaBaby
Good News — Megan Thee Stallion
Heaux Tales — Jazmine Sullivan
King’s Disease — Nas
Ungodly Hour — Chloe X Halle

Best Collaboration
Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion — “Wap”
DaBaby Ft. Roddy Ricch — “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled Ft. Drake — “Popstar”
Jack Harlow Ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne — “Whats Poppin (Remix)”
Megan Thee Stallion Ft. DaBaby — “Cry Baby”
Pop Smoke Ft. Lil Baby & DaBaby — “For The Night”

Best Female R&B / Pop Artist
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
Summer Walker
SZA

Best Male R&B / Pop Artist
6lack
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd

Best New Artist
Coi Leray
Flo Milli
Giveon
Jack Harlow
Latto
Pooh Shiesty

Best Group
21 Savage & Metro Boomin
Chloe X Halle
Chris Brown & Young Thug
City Girls
Migos
Silk Sonic

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Megan Thee Stallion
Latto
Saweetie

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
DaBaby
Drake
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Bebe Winans — “In Jesus Name”
Cece Winans — “Never Lost”
H.E.R. — “Hold Us Together”
Kirk Franklin — “Strong God”
Marvin Sapp — “Thank You For It All”
Tamela Mann — “Touch From You”

BET Her Award
Alicia Keys Ft. Khalid — “So Done”
Brandy Ft. Chance The Rapper — “Baby Mama”
Bri Steves — “Anti Queen”
Chloe X Halle — “Baby Girl”
Ciara Ft. Ester Dean — “Rooted”
SZA — “Good Days”

Best International Act
Aya Nakamura (France)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)
Emicida (Brazil)
Headie One (Uk)
Wizkid (Nigeria)
Young T & Bugsey (Uk)
Youssoupha (France)

Viewer’s Choice Award
Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion — “Wap”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
DaBaby Ft. Roddy Ricch — “Rockstar”
DJ Khaled Ft. Drake — “Popstar”
Drake Ft. Lil Durk — “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby — “The Bigger Picture”
Megan Thee Stallion Ft. Beyoncé — “Savage (Remix)”
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”

Video of the Year
Cardi B — “Up”
Cardi B Ft. Megan Thee Stallion — “Wap”
Chloe X Halle — “Do It”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
Drake Ft. Lil Durk — “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Silk Sonic — “Leave The Door Open”

Video Director of the Year
Benny Boom
Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dave Meyers
Hype Williams

Best Movie
Coming 2 America
Judas And The Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
One Night In Miami
Soul
The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

Best Actress
Andra Day
Angela Bassett
Issa Rae
Jurnee Smollett
Viola Davis
Zendaya

Best Actor
Aldis Hodge
Chadwick Boseman
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Eddie Murphy
Lakeith Stanfield

Youngstars Award
Alex R. Hibbert
Ethan Hutchison
Lonnie Chavis
Marsai Martin
Michael Epps
Storm Reid

Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Candace Parker
Claressa Shields
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith

Sportsman of the Year Award
Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes
Russell Westbrook
Russell Wilson
Stephen Curry