BET Awards 2025: All the nominees

The 2025 BET Awards nominations have been announced, with African artists earning recognition across top categories, marking another milestone in the continent’s growing global influence in music.

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