Queen Bey reigns again.
Beyoncé leads the 2017 BET Awards nominations with seven, including nods for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best Collaboration (“Freedom” with Kendrick Lamar), Video of the Year (“Sorry”), and Album of the Year (LEMONADE).
Following Bey is Bruno Mars with five. The “That’s What I Like” singer is up in categories like Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Video of the Year (“24K Magic”), and Album of the Year (24K Magic). But competition is stiff this year. Chance the Rapper, Solange, and Migos are all tied with four nods apiece.
Arguably the night’s biggest award, Album of the Year, features Beyoncé and Mars, as well as J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only, Solange’s A Seat at the Table, and Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book.
Each year, the Best Male and Best Female Hip-Hop Artist categories are also major points for debate. This year, Big Sean, Chance the Rapper, Drake, Future, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar will duke it out for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. Meanwhile, Cardi B, Missy Elliott, Nicki Minaj, Remy Ma, and Young M.A. will vie for the Best Female Hip-Hop Artist award. Cardi’s towel-draped reaction to the nomination had her trending on social media this morning.
In the R&B/pop world, Beyoncé will take on Kehlani, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, and Solange for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, while Bruno will battle Chris Brown, The Weeknd, Trey Songz, and Usher for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.
Last year, Beyoncé opened the BET Awards with a surprise performance of “Freedom” with Kendrick Lamar. Queen Bey also won five awards at the event, including Best Female R&B Pop Artist.
The 17th annual BET Awards will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 25 at 8 p.m. ET. The ceremony will follow the BET Experience at L.A. Live, which is scheduled to run June 22-25.
BET AWARDS 2017 NOMINATIONS
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
24K Magic – Bruno Mars
4 Your Eyez Only – J. Cole
A Seat at the Table – Solange
Coloring Book – Chance the Rapper
Lemonade – Beyoncé
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé
Kehlani
Mary J. Blige
Rihanna
Solange
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
The Weeknd
Trey Songz
Usher
BEST GROUP
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
A Tribe Called Quest
Fat Joe & Remy Ma
Migos
Rae Sremmurd
BEST COLLABORATION
Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom”
Chance the Rapper ft. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne – “No Problem”
Chris Brown ft. Gucci Mane & Usher – “Party”
DJ Khaled ft. Beyoncé & Jay Z – “Shining”
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
BEST MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Big Sean
Chance the Rapper
Drake
Future
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
BEST FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Missy Elliott
Nicki Minaj
Remy Ma
Young M.A.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – “Sorry”
Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom – Kehlani, “CRZY”
Bruno Mars & Jonathan Lia – Bruno Mars, “That’s What I Like”
Director X – Zayn Malik, “Like I Would”
Hype Williams – Tyga “Gucci Snakes ft. Desiigner”
Kahlil Joseph & Beyoncé Knowles-Carter – Beyoncé, “Sorry”
BEST NEW ARTIST
21 Savage
Cardi B
Chance the Rapper
Khalid
Young M.A.
COCA-COLA VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARD
Drake – “Fake Love”
Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Beyoncé – “Sorry”
CENTRIC AWARD
Fantasia – “Sleeping With the One I Love”
Kehlani – “Distraction”
Mary J. Blige – “Thick of It”
Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
Syd – “All About Me”
Yuna feat. Usher – “Crush”