BET on Thursday officially unveiled the highly anticipated nominees for the BET Awards 2025, spotlighting a diverse slate of artists from around the globe.
Leading the charge from Africa are powerhouse talents Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Tyla, Ayra Starr, Black Sherif, Shallipopi, Shaboozey, Odeal, Maglera Doe Boy, Uncle Waffles, Dlala Thukzin, Abigail Chams, TxC, all recognized for their exceptional contributions to music and culture over the past year.
After an impressive run with chart-topping hits and international acclaim, Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr emerges as one of the top African nominees, scoring three nods in ‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artist’, ‘Best New Artist’, and ‘Best International Act’.
Global star Tems continues to blaze trails, securing two nominations in the ‘BET Her’ category for her soulful and empowering songs “Burning” and “Hold On”, both lifted from her widely celebrated debut studio album “Born In The Wild”. These nods further establish her as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary music today.
African artists dominate the ‘Best New International Act’ category.
Breakout stars Shallipopi, Odeal, Maglera Doe Boy, Abigail Chams, andDlala Thukzin all earn well-deserved recognition.
Beyond music, the awards also honor achievements in film, television, and sports.
Multi-talented actress and vocalist, Cynthia Erivo picks up two nominations —Best Actress, and BET Her for her duet “Defying Gravity” with pop superstar Ariana Grande.
Speaking on the awards nomination, Monde Twala, Senior Vice President & Co-General Manager, Paramount Africa & Lead, BET International, said, “At BET, we are proud to continue elevating and celebrating Black excellence on a global scale. The 2025 nominations reflect the incredible creativity, influence, and impact of African artists who are shaping culture and pushing boundaries. From Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Tems, Tyla, Odeal, Shallipopi, Maglera Doe Boy, Black Sherif, Uncle Waffles —these talents represent the diversity and heartbeat of a new generation, and the global resonance of our sounds. I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the nominees from Brazil, the UK and France. BET remains committed to showcasing the voices and visions of African creatives on the world stage.”
Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations with 10, Doechii, Drake, Future andGloRilla tying with six nominations, Metro Boomin earning five nominations, and SZA and The Weeknd tying with four nominations each.
This year’s BET Awards 2025 nominees reflect multifaceted creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film, and sports.
Nominations were selected by the BET Voting Academy, which is comprised of an esteemed group of entertainment professionals and influencers in the fields of music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.
Kendrick Lamar holds the top spot with ten “BET Awards” 2025 nominations.
Lamar’s nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for GNX, ‘Video of the Year’ for “Not Like Us,” three ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ nods for “Not Like Us,” “Luther,” featuring SZA, and “Like That” with Future & Metro Boomin, three ‘Best Collaboration’ nods for “Like That,” “30 for 30,” and “Luther,” featuring SZA, ‘Video Director of the Year’ with Dave Free, and ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist.’
Doechii’s six nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for Alligator Bites Never Heal, ‘Video of the Year’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ for “Denial is a River,” ‘BET Her’ for “Bloom,” ‘Best Collaboration’ for “Alter Ego” featuring JT, and ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist.’
Drake’s six nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, ‘Video of the Year’ for “Family Matters,” ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ for “Nokia,” ‘Best Group’ with “Drake & PartyNextDoor,” ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist’ and ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist.’
Drake’s six nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, ‘Video of the Year’ for “Family Matters,” ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ for “Nokia,” ‘Best Group’ with “Drake & PartyNextDoor,” ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist’ and ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist.’
Future’s six nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for We Don’t Trust You with Metro Boomin, ‘Video of the Year’ for “Type Shit” with Metro Boomin, Travis Scott & Playboi Carti, ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ for “Like That” with Metro Boomin featuring Kendrick Lamar, ‘Best Group’ with “Future & Metro Boomin,” and Best Male Hip Hop Artist.
GloRilla six nominations include ‘Album of the Year’ for Glorious, ‘Viewer’s Choice Award’ for “TGIF”, ‘Best Collaboration’ for “Sticky” with Tyler, The Creator, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne, the ‘Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award’ for “Rain Down On Me,” ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist’, and ‘BET Her’ for “In My Bag” with FLO.
SZA and The Weeknd tie with four nominations each, while Arya Starr, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Maverick City Music, Playboi Carti, Teddy Swims, and Tyler, The Creator each earn three nominations.
Voting for “BET Awards” 2025 Viewer’s Choice Award will open soon.
BET.com/bet-awards is the official site for “BET Awards” 2025 and will have all the latest news and updates about this year’s show. Follow us @BET and @BETAWARDS.
Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, will oversee and Executive Produce the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, SVP, Tentpoles & Music Community Engagement for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as Executive Producers.
The 25th Anniversary of “BET Awards” – Culture’s Biggest Night – will air LIVE on BET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, 10 June, 2025, at 01:00 WAT on BET, DStv Channel 129 and GOtv Channel 21.
This milestone event will honor 25 years of cultural excellence, spotlighting the most influential names in music, film, television, and sports.
To register for the free, 2-day BETX Fan Fest, visit BETExperience.com.
BET Experience 2025 is co-produced by Live Nation Urban.
The Complete List Of Nominees for “BET Awards” 2025:
Album of the Year
$OME $EXY $ONGS 4 U DRAKE & PARTYNEXTDOOR
11:11 DELUXE
ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL DOECHII
COWBOY CARTER BEYONCÉ
GLORIOUS GLORILLA
GNX
HURRY UP TOMORROW THE WEEKND
WE DON’T TRUST YOU FUTURE & METRO BOOMIN
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
AYRA STARR
ARI LENNOX
COCO JONES
KEHLANI
MUNI LONG
SUMMER WALKER
SZA
VICTORIA MONÉT
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 FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR
ALTER EGO DOECHII FEAT. JT
ARE YOU EVEN REAL TEDDY SWIMS FEAT. GIVĒON
BECKHAM DEE BILLZ FEAT. KYLE RICHH, KAI SWERVO, KJ SWERVO
BLESS
LIKE THAT FUTURE & METRO BOOMIN & KENDRICK LAMAR
LUTHER
STICKY TYLER, THE CREATOR FEAT. GLORILLA, SEXYY RED & LIL WAYNE
TIMELESS
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
CARDI B
DOECHII
DOJA CAT
GLORILLA
LATTO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
RAPSODY
SEXYY RED
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
BURNA BOY
BIGXTHAPLUG
BOSSMAN DLOW
DRAKE
FUTURE
KENDRICK LAMAR
KEY GLOCK
LIL WAYNE
TYLER, THE CREATOR
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 FEAT. 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 FEAT. JENNIFER HUDSON
AMEN
BETTER DAYS FRIDAYY
CHURCH DOORS YOLANDA ADAMS FEAT. SIR THE BAPTIST & DONALD
LAWRENCE (TERRY HUNTER REMIX)
CONSTANT MAVERICK CITY MUSIC, JORDIN SPARKS, CHANDLER MOORE & ANTHONY GARGIULA
DESERVE TO WIN TAMELA MANN
FAITH
RAIN DOWN ON ME GLORILLA FEAT. KIRK FRANKLIN, MAVERICK CITY MUSIC
Viewer’s Choice Award
RESIDUALS CHRIS BROWN
DENIAL IS A RIVER DOECHII
NOKIA DRAKE
LIKE THAT FUTURE & METRO BOOMIN FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR
TGIF GLORILLA
NOT LIKE US KENDRICK LAMAR
LUTHER KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA
BROKEY
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)
BET Her
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE MARY J. BLIGE
BLACKBIIRD
SPENCER, TIERA KENNEDY & REYNA ROBERTS
BLOOM
BURNING TEMS
DEFYING GRAVITY CYNTHIA ERIVO FEAT. ARIANA GRANDE
HEART OF A WOMAN SUMMER WALKER
HOLD ON
IN MY BAG
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
