anthony-anderson-tracee-ellis-ross

It’s that time of year again: The 2016 BET Awards are just days away. This year’s show, hosted by the dynamic duo Tracee Ellis Ross and her TV husband, Anthony Anderson, has promised to pack a big punch.

The 15th annual award show is slated to honor deceased stars like Prince, as well as those currently dominating in music, entertainment and sports. There will be more than 20 award categories, including video of the year, sports man/woman of the year and the YoungStars award. For the first time ever, according to BET’s website, the network has created a choreographed dance video which will announce the nominees for best collaboration, best male hip hop artist and best female hip hop artist.

The BET Awards will also feature several performances from various artists across different genres. Usher, Future, Alicia Keys, Bryson Tiller and more have signed on to entertain the masses during the show. It appears as though a number of artists have plans to pay homage to Prince through performance during the 2016 BET Awards, as well. At present, Sheila E. — the “Purple Rain” singer’s longtime muse — The Roots, D’Angelo and Janelle Monáe have been named.

This year’s red carpet will be filmed and air on BET from 5 p.m. EDT to 8 p.m. EDT. The show will begin immediately after. Those unable to tune on on a TV set can catch the show via one of the many live streams set up for this year’s festivities. BET will be airing the red carpet via live stream HERE, as well as a glimpse backstage HERE. The behind the scenes feed goes live at 8 p.m. EDT, when the show starts.

If You You Have Access to a Cable or Satellite Log-In That Includes BET

If you have login credentials for a cable or satellite subscription that includes BET, you can watch the show live on the free BET Now app.

The app is available for download in the App Store here and Google Play here.

After launching the app, tap the BET logo in the center-bottom portion of the screen to open the menu. Select “Live TV.” On the next screen, tap the correct tile to select your pay-tv provider. On the next screen, enter your user ID and password and tap “Sign In.” On the next screen, tap “Start Watching Now” to access the live-tv broadcast.

If You’re in the United States & Don’t Have a Cable or Satellite Log-In

On the Web:

If you’re in the United States and don’t have access to a cable or satellite log-in, you can watch the show through Sling TV, an online streaming service that provides access to select channels for a monthly fee. The service’s Best of Live TV beta package, which includes BET, costs $20 a month. But if you’re looking for a way to watch the show for free, you can do so with Sling’s free 7-day trial.

To sign up for Sling, follow these steps:

1. Click here to sign up for Sling TV. You’ll need to enter your credit card information when signing up, but if you cancel your subscription before the trial period ends, you will not be charged.

2. When you sign up, select Sling’s Best of Live TV beta package, which costs $20 per month. You’ll also have the option of selecting Sling’s standard Best of Live TV package, and/or selecting “add-ons,” all of which come with a monthly fee but are included in the free trial. The Best of Live TV beta package is the only one that includes BET. Note: the Best of Live TV beta package is listed immediately to the right of the standard Best of Live TV package on the Sling TV website.

3. Download the Sling desktop app, and navigate over to BET to watch the show.

With an App:

If you sign up for the free Sling trial, you can watch the show on the Sling app, which you can download for free in the App store or the Google Play store. There’s also a Sling app for Roku, Chromecast, Nexus player, ZTE and XBox One. Click here for a full list of compatible devices.

The service’s Best of Live TV beta package costs $20 a month. But if you’re looking for a way to watch a week’s worth of TV for free, you can do so with Sling’s free 7-day trial.

To sign up for Sling TV, follow these steps:

1. Click here to sign up for Sling TV. You’ll need to enter your credit card information when signing up, but if you cancel your subscription before the trial period ends, you will not be charged.

2. When you sign up, select Sling’s Best of Live TV beta package, which costs $20 per month. You’ll also have the option of selecting Sling’s standard Best of Live TV package, and/or selecting “add-ons,” all of which come with a monthly fee but are included in the free trial. The Best of Live TV beta package is the only one that includes BET. Note: the Best of Live TV beta package is listed immediately to the right of the standard Best of Live TV package on the Sling TV website.

3. Download the Sling app, and navigate over to BET.

If You’re Outside the United States & Don’t Have a Cable or Satellite Log-In

BET live stream, BET App

The newly launched BET Play app will stream the show live on Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, and AirPlay-enabled televisions.

The paid app costs $3.99 per month but offers a 7-day free trial.

BET Play is available in 100 countries, not including the United States, and can be downloaded via iTunes and Google Play. Find more details on BET Play here.