BET Awards 2025: All the nominees

The awards ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on 9 June.

Nigerian artist Ayra Starr made a significant impact by securing nominations in two of the show’s most prestigious categories. She joins the ranks of SZA, Summer Walker, and Victoria Monét in the Best Female R&B/Pop Artist category, a highly competitive field dominated by US heavyweights. Starr’s nomination highlights her meteoric rise and growing international acclaim following the success of her recent releases.

In the Best International Act category, African talent is front and centre. Nigeria’s Ayra Starr and Rema, Ghana’s Black Sherif, South Africa’s Tyla, and eSwatini’s Uncle Waffles are among the ten nominees. They compete alongside Brazil’s Any Gabrielly and Mc Luanna, France’s Joé Dwèt Filé and Sdm, and the UK’s Bashy and Ezra Collective. This diverse line-up underscores the global reach of African music, with multiple regions now looking to the continent for new sounds and voices.

The Best New International Act category also features a strong African presence. South Africa’s Maglera Doe Boy, TxC, and Dlala Thukzin, Nigeria’s Shallipopi, and Tanzania’s Abigail Chams are competing with rising stars from Brazil, France, and the UK. These nominations not only signal the international momentum African acts are building, but also the BET Awards’ commitment to showcasing talent beyond traditional markets.

In a surprising development, Nigerian Grammy-winner Burna Boy secured a nomination in the Best Male Hip Hop Artist category, typically dominated by American rappers. He faces off against the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, and Future, marking a rare moment of direct competition between African and American artists in a core BET Awards category.

The 2025 BET Awards, set to take place later this year, are shaping up to be a celebration of global Black excellence, with African artists not only represented but actively competing at the highest levels of international music.

Below is the full list of nominees:

R&B/Pop Artist

• ⁠Ayra Starr
• ⁠Ari Lennox
• ⁠Coco Jones
• ⁠Kehlani
• Muni Long
• Summer Walker
• SZA
• Victoria Monét

Best International Act

• Any Gabrielly (Brazil)
• ⁠Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• ⁠Bashy (United Kingdom)
• ⁠Black Sherif (Ghana)
• ⁠Ezra Collective (United Kingdom)
• Joé Dwèt Filé (France)
• ⁠Mc Luanna (Brazil)
• ⁠Rema (Nigeria)
• ⁠Sdm (France)
• ⁠Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)

Best New International Act

• ⁠Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
• ⁠Ajuliacosta (Brazil)
• ⁠Amabbi (Brazil)
• ⁠Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
• ⁠Dr Yaro (France)
• ⁠kwn (United Kingdom)
• ⁠Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)
• Merveille (France)
• Odeal (United Kingdom)
• ⁠Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• ⁠TxC (South Africa)

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

• Burna Boy
• ⁠BigXthaPlug
• ⁠Bossman Dlow
• Drake
• ⁠Future
• ⁠Kendrick Lamar
• ⁠Key Glock
• ⁠Lil Wayne
• Tyler, the Creator

Album of the Year

• $Ome $Exy $Ongs 4 U – Drake & PartyNextDoor
• 11:11 Deluxe – Chris Brown
• Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
• Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
• Glorious – GloRilla
• GNX – Kendrick Lamar
• Hurry Up Tomorrow – The Weeknd
• We Don’t Trust You – Future & Metro Boomin

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

• Bruno Mars
• Chris Brown
• Drake
• Fridayy
• Leon Thomas
• Teddy Swims
• The Weeknd
• Usher

Best Group

• 41
• Common & Pete Rock
• Drake & PartyNextDoor
• FLO
• Future & Metro Boomin
• Jacquees & Dej Loaf
• Larry June, 2 Chainz, The Alchemist
• Maverick City Music

Best Collaboration

• ‘30 For 30’ – SZA ft. Kendrick Lamar
• ‘Alter Ego’ – Doechii ft. JT
• ‘Are You Even Real’ – Teddy Swims ft. Givēon
• ‘Beckham’ – Dee Billz feat. Kyle Richh, Kai Swervo, Kj Swervo
• ‘Bless’ – Lil Wayne, Wheezy & Young Thug
• ‘Like That’ – Future & Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar
• ‘Luther’ – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• ‘Sticky’ – Tyler, the Creator ft. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne
• ‘Timeless’ – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

• Cardi B
• Doechii
• Doja Cat
• GloRilla
• Latto
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Nicki Minaj
• Rapsody
• Sexyy Red

Video of the Year

• ‘3AM in ToKEYo’ – Key Glock
• ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ – Shaboozey
• ‘After Hours’ – Kehlani
• ‘Denial Is A River’ – Doechii
• ‘Family Matters’ – Drake
• ‘Not Like Us’ – Kendrick Lamar
• ‘Timeless’ – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti
• ‘Type Shit’ – Future, Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti

Video Director of the Year

• Anderson .Paak
• B Pace Productions & Jacquees
• Benny Boom
• Cactus Jack
• Cole Bennett
• Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
• Dave Meyers
• Foggieraw
• Tyler, the Creator

Best New Artist

• 41
• Ayra Starr
• BigXthaPlug
• Bossman Dlow
• Dee Billz
• Leon Thomas
• October London
• Shaboozey
• Teddy Swims

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

• ‘A God (There Is)’ – Common & Pete Rock ft. Jennifer Hudson
• ‘Amen’ – Pastor Mike Jr.
• ‘Better Days’ – Fridayy
• ‘Church Doors (Terry Hunter Remix)’ – Yolanda Adams feat. Sir The Baptist & Donald Lawrence
• ‘Constant’ – Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore & Anthony Gargiula
• ‘Deserve To Win’ – Tamela Mann
• ‘Faith’ – Rapsody
• ‘Rain Down on Me’ – GloRilla ft. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music

Viewer’s Choice Award

• ‘Residuals’ – Chris Brown
• ‘Denial Is A River’ – Doechii
• ‘Nokia’ – Drake
• ‘Like That’ – Future & Metro Boomin ft. Kendrick Lamar
• ‘TGIF’ – GloRilla
• ‘Not Like Us’ – Kendrick Lamar
• ‘Luther’ – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• ‘Brokey’ – Latto

BET Her

• ‘Beautiful People’ – Mary J. Blige
• ‘Blackbiird’ – Beyoncé ft. Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy & Reyna Roberts
• ‘Bloom’ – Doechii
• ‘Burning’ – Tems
• ‘Defying Gravity’ – Cynthia Erivo feat. Ariana Grande
• ‘Heart of a Woman’ – Summer Walker
• ‘Hold On’ – Tems
• ‘In My Bag’ – FLO & GloRilla

Best Movie

• Bad Boys: Ride Or Die
• Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
• Luther: Never Too Much
• Mufasa: The Lion King
• One Of Them Days
• Rebel Ridge
• The Piano Lesson
• The Six Triple Eight

Best Actor

• Aaron Pierre
• Aldis Hodge
• Anthony Mackie
• Colman Domingo
• Denzel Washington
• Jamie Foxx
• Joey Bada$$
• Kevin Hart
• Sterling K. Brown
• Will Smith

Best Actress

• Andra Day
• Angela Bassett
• Coco Jones
• Cynthia Erivo
• Keke Palmer
• Kerry Washington
• Quinta Brunson
• Viola Davis
• Zendaya

YoungStars Award

• Akira Akbar
• Blue Ivy Carter
• Graceyn ‘Gracie’ Hollingsworth
• Heiress Harris
• Melody Hurd
• Thaddeus J. Mixson
• Tyrik Johnson
• Vanvan

Sportswoman of the Year Award

• A’ja Wilson
• Angel Reese
• Claressa Shields
• Coco Gauff
• Dawn Staley
• Flau’jae Johnson
• Juju Watkins
• Sha’Carri Richardson
• Simone Biles

Sportsman of the Year Award

• Aaron Judge
• Anthony Edwards
• Deion Sanders
• Jalen Hurts
• Jayson Tatum
• LeBron James
• Saquon Barkley
• Stephen Curry