The 2023 BET Awards, aka culture’s biggest night out, have arrived and this year’s nominees include countless heavyweights and up-and-coming newcomers. And while the official show has yet to begin, several winners have already been announced.
BET released the full list of honorees on June 8 with Drake leading the group with a total of seven nominations, including Album of the Year and Best Male Hip-hop Artist. Following him were nominees such as 21 Savage, Lizzo, Beyoncé, SZA, Chris Brown, GloRilla (who received two nominations in the same category for best collaboration), and many more.
In addition to handing out the wins, the 2023 BET Awards promise to be an especially exciting event as they celebrate hip-hop’s much-anticipated 50th anniversary with a live broadcast of the artists. Artists perform all night. Among those expected to take to the stage to pay tribute to hip-hop are Remy Ma, Trina, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, MC Lyte, E-40, Chief Keef, Tyga, and more than a dozen others. Solo performers at this year’s awards ceremony include Coco Jones, GloRilla, Lil Uzi Vert and Doechii.
The 2023 BET Awards airs live on June 25 at 8 p.m. ET. Read ahead for the full list of candidates.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“Anyway, Life’s Great” – GloRilla
“Breezy” – Chris Brown
“God Did” — DJ Khaled
“Her Loss” — Drake & 21 Savage
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” — Kendrick Lamar
“Renaissance” — Beyoncé
“SOS” — SZA
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
coco jones
SHE
Lizzo
SZA
stamp
BEST MEN R&B/POP ARTIST
Blxst
Brent Faiyaz
hot boy
Chris Brown
drake
Weekend
open
BEST GROUP
city girl
Drake & 21 Barbarians
DVSN
Flo
City Music Maverick & Kirk Franklin
Quavo & Take Off
VanMor
BEST COOPERATION
“Big Energy” (Remix) — Latto and Mariah Carey ft. DJ Khaled
“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” — PinkPantheress and Ice Spice
“Call Me Every Day” — Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Can’t stop won’t stop” — King Combs feat. Black Kodak
“Creepin'” — Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage
“FNF (Let’s Go)” — Hitkidd and GloRilla
“Tomorrow 2” — GloRilla and Cardi B
“Wait For U” — Future feat. Drake and Tems
BEST HIP-HOP FEMALE ARTIST
Cardi
Leray mortar
GloRilla
ice seasoning
lathe
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
BEST Male HIP-HOP ARTIST
21 savages
drake
Future
J. Cole
Jack Harlow
Kendrick Lamar
Baby Lil
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“We (Warm Hug)” — Chris Brown
“2 Million Up” — Peezy, Jeezy, and Real Boston Richey feat. robbery49
“Damn Time” — Lizzo
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Kill Bill” – SZA
“Tomorrow 2” — GloRilla and Cardi B
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
A$AP Rocky for AGWE
Benny booms
hot boy
Cole Bennett
Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Director X
Teyana “Spike Tey” Taylor
LATEST ARTISTS
Amber
coco jones
Doechii
Flo
GloRilla
ice seasoning
Lola Brooke
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOVERNMENT / INSPIRATION
“Bless Me” — Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin
“Completed (Live)” — Tamela Mann
“I have fun” — CeCe Winans
“Kingdom” — Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin feat. Naomi Raine and Chandler Moore
“New” — Tye Tribbett
“A Moment From Glory” – Yolanda Adams
“The Better Benediction (Pt.2)” — PJ Morton feat. Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le’Andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard and Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Viewers’ Choice
“Damn Time” — Lizzo
“Break My Soul” — Beyoncé
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Jimmy Cooks” — Drake feat. 21 savages
“Kill Bill” – SZA
“Last Last” – Burna Boy
“The Super Eccentric Girl” – Nicki Minaj
“Wait For U” — Future feat. Drake and Tems
BEST ACT INTERNATIONAL
Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Central Cee (UK)
Ella Mai (UK)
KO (South Africa)
L7nnon (Brazil)
Stormzy (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Waffles (Swaziland)
Viewer’s Choice: LATEST ACT INTERNATIONAL
Asake (Nigeria)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Flo (UK)
WINNER: Libiaca (Cameroon)
Maureen (France)
MC Ryan SP (Brazil)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
Raye (England)
Werenoi (France)
BET HER
“Damn Time” — Lizzo
“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” — PinkPantheress and Ice Spice
“Break My Soul” — Beyoncé
“She” — Megan Thee Stallion
“Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — Rihanna and Ludwig Göransson
“Player” — Watch Leray
“Special” — Lizzo
BEST FILM
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
“Dogma III”
“Liberate, release, free”
“Are not”
“Queen”
“Until”
“Whitney Houston: I want to dance with someone”
best actor
Amin Joseph
Brian Tiree Henry
Damson Idris
Daniel Kaluuya
Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr.
Donald Glover
Michael B. Jordan
BEST WOMAN ACTIVE
Angela Bassett
coco jones
Janelle James
Janelle Monae
Keke Palmer
viola davis
Zendaya
CHILD STAR AWARD
akira akbar
Alaya is tall
Demi Singleton
Genesis Denise Hale
Marsai Martin
Thaddeus J. Mixson
Dylan Gilmer
WOMEN’S SPORTS OF THE YEAR AWARD
Alexis Morris
Allyson Felix
Angel Reese
candace parker
Naomi Osaka
Serena Williams
Sha’Carri Richardson
SPORTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Judge Aaron
Bubba Wallace
Gervonta Davis
WINNER: Jalen hurts
LeBron James
Patrick Mahomes
Stephen’s Curry
