Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar & Mariah The Scientist Lead 2026 BET Awards Noms

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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2026 BET Awards Nominations Cardi B Kendrick Lamar
Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; American rapper Cardi B (center) talks to rapper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie (left) during the third quarter between the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
The 2026 BET Awards will air live on Saturday, June 28 and will applaud the work of Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah The Scientist, and more.

The 2026 BET Awards are around the corner, and we just got the full list of nominations. According to Billboard, the leading name is Cardi B with six nominations, followed by Kendrick Lamar and Mariah The Scientist with five nominations each. Other big names like Latto, Doechii, Clipse, and Teyana Taylor got four nominations each across music, fashion, film, television, and more.

What's more is that the ceremony will feature two new categories this year: the Fashion Vanguard Award and the Pulse Award. The first one's nominees include A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Beyoncé, Cardi, Doechii, Teyana Taylor, Rihanna, Zendaya, and Bad Bunny.

As for the Pulse Award, this is for Internet material that pushed Black culture forward. Nominees include the 85 Shout Show, Baby This Is Keke Palmer, Charlamagne Tha God, Druski, Don Lemon, It Is What It Is, Joe & Jada, On The Radar, and the R&B Money podcast.

"All of our nominees represent the very best of Black culture across music, film, sports, and beyond," BET's executive vice president of specials and music strategy and programming, Connie Orlando, reportedly stated. "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."

The 2026 BET Awards hosted by Druski will air live on Saturday, June 28. See some of the music nominees below, and check out the full list of nominations here.

2026 BET Awards Nominees

NFL: AFC Championship Game-New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
Jan 25, 2026; Denver, CO, USA. Musician Cardi B after ithe 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Album Of The Year
Cardi B – AM I THE DRAMA?
Tyler, The Creator – DON'T TAP THE GLASS
Wale – everything is a lot.
Mariah The Scientist – HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
Leon Thomas – MUTT Deluxe: HEEL
J. Cole – The Fall-Off
Bruno Mars – The Romantic

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Ari Lennox
Coco Jones
Ella Mai
Jill Scott
Kehlani
Mariah The Scientist
Olivia Dean
SZA
Tems

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
A$AP Rocky
Baby Keem
BigXthaPlug
DaBaby
Don Toliver
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bruno Mars
Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
Durand Bernarr
GIVĒON
Leon Thomas
October London
Usher

Video of the Year
Ella Mai – "100"
Doechii – "Anxiety"
Mariah The Scientist – "Burning Blue"
Tyla – "Chanel"
Teyana Taylor – "Escape Room (Short Film)"
Kehlani – "Folded"
T.I. – "Let 'Em Know"
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – "luther"

More Nominations

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Monaleo
YK Niece

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

Viewers’ Choice
Mariah The Scientist – "Burning Blue"
Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar – "Chains & Whips"
Tyla – "Chanel"
Kehlani – "Folded"
Bruno Mars – "I Just Might"
Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller – "It Depends"
Olivia Dean – "Man I Need"
Cardi B – "Outside"
Dave & Tems – "Raindance"
Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz – "Take Me Thru Dere"

Best Collaboration
Clipse & Kendrick Lamar – "Chains & Whips"
Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto – "Errtime Remix"
Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat – "Go Girl"
Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd – "Good Flirts"
Mariah The Scientist & Kali Uchis – "Is It A Crime"
Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher – "It Depends (The Remix)"
Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz – "Take Me Thru Dere"
Gunna feat. Burna Boy – "wgft"

Best New Artist
Belly Gang Kushington
DESTIN CONRAD
JayDon
kwn
Miles Minnick
Monaleo
Olivia Dean
RAYE
Trap Dickey

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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