2025 BET Awards nominees revealed: Ayra Starr leads for Africa

Ayra Starr has emerged as the most nominated African act as the organisers of the BET Awards confirm the list of nominees for the 2025 edition.

The BET Awards are back for their 25th anniversary, and the 2025 edition is already shaping up to be one for the books with the Sabi girl herself leading the list of nominees for African artists.

Set to air live on June 9, 2025, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the show will be hosted by comedian Kevin Hart and will celebrate the best in Black music, entertainment, and culture from around the world.

Kendrick Lamar leads the pack this year with an impressive 10 nominations, thanks to the impact of his latest album GNX and the viral success of his Drake diss track Not Like Us. Hot on his heels are Doechii, Drake, Future, and GloRilla, all picking up six nominations each. Metro Boomin, SZA, and The Weeknd also feature prominently with multiple nods.

Here are the nominees for the BET Awards 2025 below:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

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

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 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” – Lil Wayne, Wheezy & Young Thug
• “Like That” – Future & Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar
• “Luther” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
• “Sticky” – Tyler, The Creator feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne
• “Timeless” – The Weeknd feat. Playboi Carti

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

• BigXthaPlug
• Bossman DLow
• Burna Boy
• 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” – Pastor Mike Jr.
• “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” – Rapsody
• “Rain Down on Me” – GloRilla feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music

• “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” – Latto

• Any Gabrielly (Brazil)
• Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
• Basky (UK)
• Black Sherif (Ghana)
• Ezra Collective (UK)
• Joé Dwèt Filé (France)
• MC Luanna (Brazil)
• Rema (Nigeria)
• SDM (France)
• Tyla (South Africa)
• Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)

• Abigail Chams (Tanzania)
• Ajulicosta (Brazil)
• Amabbi (Brazil)
• Dlala Thukzin (South Africa)
• Dr Yaro (France)
• KWN (UK)
• Maglera Doe Boy (South Africa)
• Merveille (France)
• Odeal (UK)
• Shallipopi (Nigeria)
• TxC (South Africa)

• “Beautiful People” – Mary J. Blige
• “Blackbiird” – Beyoncé feat. 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

• 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

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

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

• Akira Akbar
• Blue Ivy Carter
• Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth
• Heiress Harris
• Melody Hurd
• Thaddeus J. Mixson
• Tyrik Johnson
• VanVan

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

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

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