Sophia Michaels
The 2023 BET Awards, aka culture’s biggest night, is right around the corner, and the nominees up for trophies this year include a flood of heavyweight artists and rising newcomers.
BET released the full list of honorees on June 8 with Drake leading the bunch with seven total nominations, which include album of the year and best male hip-hop artist. Trailing behind him are nominees like 21 Savage, Lizzo, Beyoncé, SZA, Chris Brown, GloRilla (who scored double nominations in the same category for best collaboration), and many more.
Beyond handing out wins, the 2023 BET Awards also promises to be an especially exciting event as it honors hip-hop’s highly anticipated 50th anniversary with a telecast of performers throughout the night. Among those slated to hit the stage for the hip-hop tribute are Remy Ma, Trina, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, MC Lyte, E-40, Chief Keef, Tyga, and a dozen more. Solo performers at the award show this year are Coco Jones, GloRilla, Lil Uzi Vert, and Doechii, with more expected to be announced.
The 2023 BET Awards airs live on June 25 at 8 p.m. ET. Read ahead for the complete list of nominees.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“Anyways, Life’s Great” – GloRilla
“Breezy” – Chris Brown
“God Did” – DJ Khaled
“Her Loss” – Drake & 21 Savage
“Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers”- Kendrick Lamar
“Renaissance” – Beyoncé
“SOS” – SZA
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
H.E.R.
Lizzo
SZA
Tems
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Blxst
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
The Weeknd
Usher
BEST GROUP
City Girls
Drake & 21 Savage
DVSN
Flo
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin
Quavo & Takeoff
WANMOR
BEST COLLABORATION
“Big Energy” (Remix) – Latto and Mariah Carey feat. DJ Khaled
“Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” – Pinkpantheress and Ice Spice
“Call Me Every Day” – Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”- King Combs feat. Kodak Black
“Creepin'” – Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” – Hitkidd and GloRilla
“Tomorrow 2” – GloRilla and Cardi B
“Wait For U” – Future feat. Drake and Tems
BEST FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Coi Leray
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
BEST MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
21 Savage
Drake
Future
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Baby
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“We (Warm Embrace)” – Chris Brown
“2 Million Up” – Peezy, Jeezy, and Real Boston Richey feat. Rob49
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Kill Bill” – SZA
“Tomorrow 2” – GloRilla and Cardi B
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
A$AP Rocky for AGWE
Benny Boom
Burna Boy
Cole Bennett
Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Director X
Teyana “Spike Tey” Taylor
BEST NEW ARTIST
Ambré
Coco Jones
Doechii
Flo
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Lola Brooke
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
“Bless Me” – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin
“Finished (Live)” – Tamela Mann
“I’ve Got Joy” – Cece Winans
“Kingdom” – Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin feat. Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore
“New” – Tye Tribbett
“One Moment From Glory” – Yolanda Adams
“The Better Benediction (Pt.2)” – PJ Morton feat. Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le’Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard, & Tasha Cobbs Leonard
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Jimmy Cooks” – Drake feat. 21 Savage
“Kill Bill” – SZA
“Last Last” – Burna Boy
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj
“Wait For U” – Future feat. Drake and Tems
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Central Cee (UK)
Ella Mai (UK)
K.O (South Africa)
L7nnon (Brazil)
Stormzy (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)
VIEWER’S CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
Asake (Nigeria)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Flo (UK)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Maureen (France)
MC Ryan SP (Brazil)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
Raye (UK)
Werenoi (France)
BET HER
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” – Pinkpantheress and Ice Spice
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“Her” – Megan Thee Stallion
“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” – Rihanna and Ludwig Göransson
“Players” – Coi Leray
“Special” – Lizzo
BEST MOVIE
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Creed III”
“Emancipation”
“Nope”
“The Woman King”
“Till”
“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody”
BEST ACTOR
Amin Joseph
Brian Tyree Henry
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr.
Donald Glover
Michael B. Jordan
BEST ACTRESS
Angela Bassett
Coco Jones
Janelle James
Janelle Monáe
Keke Palmer
Viola Davis
Zendaya
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
Akira Akbar
Alaya High
Demi Singleton
Genesis Denise
Marsai Martin
Thaddeus J. Mixson
Young Dylan
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Alexis Morris
Allyson Felix
Angel Reese
Candace Parker
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Sha’Carri Richardson
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
Aaron Judge
Bubba Wallace
Gervonta Davis
Jalen Hurts
LeBron James
Patrick Mahomes
Stephen Curry
