Cardi B Tops 2026 BET Awards With 6 Nominations
Cardi Clinches 6 BET Award Nominations, Kendrick Close Behind With 5
Cardi B is continuing her winning streak in 2026, adding yet another major milestone to an already historic year. The Bronx-born superstar leads the nominations for the 2026 BET Awards with six nods, including Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Album of the Year for her sophomore album Am I The Drama?, and the newly introduced Fashion Vanguard Award.
According to Billboard, the Fashion Vanguard Award recognizes global figures whose “fashion presence has had long-standing cultural impact, has significantly influenced style narratives, and continues to elevate fashion as a form of storytelling across music, film, sports and public life.”
It’s a fitting accolade for the mother of three. Cardi has made major fashion headlines throughout 2026, mainly for her stunning fashion collabs with heavy hitters like Marc Jacobs and Fashion Nova. This month, the Grammy-winner signed a major deal with luxury resale platform FASHIONPHILE, becoming the brand’s trusted Global Brand Ambassador.
Cardi B has had a busy year.
Her BET Awards dominance follows the massive success of her Little Miss Drama Tour, which kicked off in February and wrapped on April 18. The tour grossed an impressive $70 million while selling out all 35 North American arena dates, officially becoming the highest-grossing debut arena tour by a female rapper in history.
Am I The Drama? also proved to be another career-defining moment for the rapper. Despite fans waiting seven years for the project, the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and quickly earned double platinum certification following its release. With the achievement, Cardi became the first female rapper in history to have her first two studio albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Her debut album, Invasion of Privacy, first accomplished the feat in 2018.
Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow with 5 nominations for the 2026 BET Awards.
Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow closely behind Cardi with five nominations each this year. Lamar earned nominations in major categories including Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and Best Collaboration for “Chains & Whips” alongside the Clipse, while Mariah the Scientist secured nods for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and Video of the Year.
Both artists have had a busy year so far. Mariah the Scientist was recognized during the Billboard Women in Music event on April 29 where she received the Rising Star Award. In February, Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys, earning major wins for Record of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance for his hit collaboration “Luther” with SZA. The victories brought his career total to 27 Grammys, allowing him to surpass Jay-Z and to become the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history.
Michael B. Jordan, Latto and Teyana Taylor have also earned 2026 BET Award nominations.
Other major 2026 BET Award nominees include Doja Cat, Olivia Dean, and Latto, each earning four nominations. Meanwhile, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Metro Boomin, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I., and YK Niece each secured three nominations.
In film categories, Michael B. Jordan, Teyana Taylor, and Delroy Lindo earned recognition for their performances in Sinners and One Battle After Another, both of which are nominated for Best Movie. Jordan and Lindo received Best Actor nominations, while Taylor earned a nod for Best Actress.
This year’s ceremony will also introduce another new category, The Pulse Award.
“The Pulse Award recognizes a creator, campaign or content series that most powerfully moved Black culture forward in digital spaces by sparking conversation, building community and defining the moment online,” Billboard noted.
Nominees for the category include 85 South Show, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Charlamagne Tha God, Don Lemon, Druski, It Is What It Is, Joe and Jada, On the Radar, and R&B Money Podcast.
“All of our nominees represent the very best of Black culture across music, film, sports, and beyond, 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,” Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, said in a statement, according to Billboard.
The 2026 BET Awards will air live on Sunday, June 28, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Will you be watching? Until then, take a look at the full list of this year’s nominees below.
Music Categories
Album of the Year
AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B
DON’T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, the Creator
everything is a lot. — Wale
HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY — Mariah the Scientist
Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse
MUTT Deluxe: HEEL — Leon Thomas
The Fall-Off — J. Cole
The Romantic — Bruno Mars
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Ari Lennox
Coco Jones
Ella Mai
Jill Scott
Kehlani
Mariah the Scientist
Olivia Dean
SZA
Tems
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bruno Mars
Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
Durand Bernarr
GIVĒON
Leon Thomas
October London
Usher
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Monaleo
YK Niece
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
A$AP Rocky
Baby Keem
BigXthaPlug
DaBaby
Don Toliver
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.
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
Best Collaboration
“Chains & Whips” — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar
“Errtime Remix” — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto
“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
“Good Flirts” — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd
“Is It a Crime” — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis
“It Depends (The Remix)” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher
“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz
“wgft” — Gunna feat. Burna Boy
Best New Artist
Belly Gang Kushington
DESTIN CONRAD
JayDon
kwn
Miles Minnick
Monaleo
Olivia Dean
RAYE
Trap Dickey
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
“Able” — Kirk Franklin
“ABLE (REMIX)” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell
“All to Thee” — BeBe Winans
“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
“At the Cross” — CeCe Winans
“Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend
“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin
“Headphones” — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.
BET Her
“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
“Be Great” — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty
“Beautiful People” — Jill Scott
“First” — Tems
“girl, get up.” — Doechii feat. SZA
“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
“Gorgeous” — Doja Cat
“Lady Lady” — Olivia Dean
Viewers’ Choice
“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist
“Chains & Whips” — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Chanel” — Tyla
“Folded” — Kehlani
“I Just Might” — Bruno Mars
“It Depends” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller
“Man I Need” — Olivia Dean
“Outside” — Cardi B
“Raindance” — Dave & Tems
“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz
Video of the Year
“100” — Ella Mai
“Anxiety” — Doechii
“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist
“Chanel” — Tyla
“Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyana Taylor
“Folded” — Kehlani
“LET ‘EM KNOW” — T.I.
“luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit
Anderson .Paak
Benny Boom
Cactus Jack
Cardi B & Patientce Foster
Cole Bennett
Director X
Hype Williams
Teyana “Spike-Tey” Taylor
General Categories
The Fashion Vanguard Award (New)
A$AP Rocky
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Cardi B
Colman Domingo
Doechii
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
Zendaya
The Pulse Award (New)
85 South Show
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
Charlamagne Tha God
Don Lemon
Druski
It Is What It Is
Joe and Jada
On the Radar
R&B Money Podcast
Film & TV Categories
Best Movie
Highest 2 Lowest
Him
Number One on the Call Sheet
One Battle After Another
Relationship Goals
Ruth & Boaz
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Chase Infiniti
Coco Jones
Cynthia Erivo
Keke Palmer
Quinta Brunson
Regina Hall
Teyana Taylor
Best Actor
Aaron Pierre
Aldis Hodge
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Delroy Lindo
Denzel Washington
Michael B. Jordan
Sterling K. Brown
YoungStars Award
Daria Johns
Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth
Heiress Harris
Jazzy’s World TV
Lela Hoffmeister
North West
Thaddeus J. Mixson
VanVan
Sports Categories
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson — Basketball
Angel Reese — Basketball
Claressa Shields — Boxing
Coco Gauff — Tennis
Flau’jae Johnson — Basketball
Gabby Thomas — Track & Field
Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics
Naomi Osaka — Tennis
Sha’Carri Richardson — Track & Field
Sportsman of the Year Award
Aaron Judge — Baseball
Anthony Edwards — Basketball
Caleb Williams — Football
Jalen Brunson — Basketball
Jalen Hurts — Football
LeBron James — Basketball
Shedeur Sanders — Football
Stephen Curry — Basketball
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Cardi Clinches 6 BET Award Nominations, Kendrick Close Behind With 5 was originally published on bossip.com
