2023 BET Awards: Drake Leads the Way With Seven Nods

Drake at the Billboard Music Awards Show in 2019
Drake at the Billboard Music Awards Show in 2019. Photo by Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock (10222625ff)

This past year has been pretty epic for Drake and he’s getting credit where credit is due. The list of nominations for the upcoming BET Awards is in, and the Canadian rapper is leading the way with seven nominations, including album of the year alongside 21 Savage.

Drake and 21 Savage scored the nod in the main category with her collaborative album Her Loss, but they’ll have to face some tough competition to take the trophy home. The list of nominees in this category also includes Anyways, Life’s Great by GloRilla, Breezy by Chris Brown, God Did by DJ Khaled, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar, Renaissance by Beyoncé, and SOS by SZA.

Drake is also in the running for six more accolades: best male R&B/pop artist and best male hip hop artist, best group, and Viewer’s Choice Award alongside 21 Savage, plus two more nods for collaborating with Future and Tems on “Wait for U”, including best collaboration.

The list of major nominees this year also includes GloRilla with six nods, followed by 21 Savage and Lizzo with five each. The 23rd BET Awards will return to celebrate Black excellence across music, TV, film, and sports on June 25, and the host of the venue is yet to be announced.

FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2023 BET AWARDS:

Album of the Year

Anyways, 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    
H.E.R.
Lizzo   
SZA    
Tems  

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Blxst   
Brent Faiyaz   
Burna Boy      
Chris Brown   
Drake 
The Weeknd  
Usher 

Best Group

City Girls        
Drake & 21 Savage   
Dvsn   
Flo      
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin
Quavo & Takeoff        
Wanmor         

Best Collaboration

Big Energy (Remix), Latto & Mariah Carey feat. Dj Khaled
Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2, Pinkpantheress & Ice Spice
Call Me Every Day, Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, King Combs feat. Kodak Black
Creepin’, Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage
F.N.F. (Let’s Go), Hitkidd & GloRilla
Tomorrow 2, GloRilla & Cardi B
Wait For U, Future feat. Drake & Tems               

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B           
Coi Leray        
GloRilla
Ice Spice        
Latto   
Megan Thee Stallion  
Nicki Minaj     

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

21 Savage      
Drake 
Future 
J. Cole
Jack Harlow   
Kendrick Lamar         
Lil Baby                                  

Video of the Year     

We (Warm Embrace)  Chris Brown
2 Million Up, Peezy, Jeezy & Real Boston Richey feat. Rob49
About Damn Time, Lizzo
Bad Habit, Steve Lacy
First Class, Jack Harlow
Kill Bill, SZA
Tomorrow 2, GloRilla & Cardi B

Video Director of the Year

A$Ap Rocky For Awge          
Benny Boom  
Burna Boy      
Cole Bennett  
Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Director X       
Teyana “Spike Tey” Taylor    

Best New Artist

Ambré
Coco Jones    
Doechii           
Flo      
GloRilla
Ice Spice        
Lola Brooke    

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

Bless Me, Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin
Finished (Live), Tamela Mann
I’ve Got Joy, Cece Winans
Kingdom, Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin feat. Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore
New, Tye Tribbett
One Moment From Glory, Yolanda Adams
The Better Benediction (Pt. 2), PJ Morton feat. Lisa Knowles-Smith, Le’andria Johnson, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard & Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Viewer’s Choice Award

About Damn Time, Lizzo                                                               
Break My Soul, Beyoncé                                                         
First Class, Jack Harlow                                       
Jimmy Cooks, Drake feat. 21 Savage
Kill Bill, SZA                                                                
Last Last, Burna Boy                                                      
Super Freaky Girl, Nicki Minaj                                                     
Wait for U, Future feat. Drake & Tems

Best International Act

Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Burna Boy (Nigeria)
Central Cee (UK)
Ella Mai (UK)
Ko (South Africa)
L7nnon (Brazil)
Stormzy (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Uncle Waffles (Swaziland)

Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act

Asake (Nigeria)
Camidoh (Ghana)
Flo (UK)
Libianca (Cameroon)
Maureen (France)
Mc Ryan Sp (Brazil)
Pabi Cooper (South Africa)
Raye (Uk)
Werenoi (France)

Bet Her

About Damn Time, Lizzo
Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2, Pinkpantheress & Ice Spice
Break My Soul, Beyoncé
Her, Megan Thee Stallion
Lift Me Up, Rihanna & Ludwig Göransson
Players, Coi Leray
Special, Lizzo

Best Movie

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever     
Creed 3          
Emancipation 
Nope  
The Woman King       
Till      
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody 

Best Actor

Amin Joseph  
Brian Tyree Henry     
Damson Idris  
Daniel Kaluuya           
Demetrius ‘Lil Meech’ Flenory Jr.      
Donald Glover
Michael B. Jordan                              

Best Actress

Angela Bassett           
Coco Jones    
Janelle James
Janelle Monáe
Keke Palmer  
Viola Davis     
Zendaya         

Youngstars Award   

Akira Akbar    
Alaya High     
Demi Singleton          
Genesis Denise         
Marsai Martin 
Thaddeus J. Mixson  
Young Dylan  

Sportswoman of the Year Award

Alexis Morris  
Allyson Felix   
Angel Reese  
Candace Parker         
Naomi Osaka 
Serena Williams         
Sha’carri Richardson 

Sportsman of the Year Award

Aaron Judge  
Bubba Wallace          
Gervonta Davis          
Jalen Hurts     
LeBron James
Patrick Mahomes       
Stephen Curry