Ayra Starr Leads African Nominees at 2025 BET Awards

Nominees for the 25th edition of the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards are out, and leading the African continent is an unlikely artist: Ayra Starr.

 

The 22-year-old was nominated in three (3) categories—Best New Artist, Best International Act, and Best Female R&B/Pop Artist—the most for any African artist. Starr first became a BET nominee in 2022 and has been in the running for the Best International Act every year since then. Last year, she also received three nominations (Best New Artist, Best International Act and BET Her, for “Commas”), winning none.

 

Starr and Tems are the only African acts with multiple nominations, with the latter having two recognitions in the BET Her category: “Burning” and “Hold On”—both from her debut Album, “Born in the Wild.”

 

Other notable African nominees include Rema, Tyla, and Black Sheriff for Best International Act; Shallipopi and Odeal for Best New International Act; and Burna Boy for Best Male Hip Hop Artist.

 

Compton-born rapper Kendrick Lamar has the most nods in this year’s awards with 10, including major categories like Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Album of the Year.

 

The 25th BET Awards ceremony will be held on June 9, 2026 at the Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, with comedian Kevin Hart hosting.

 

Below is the full list of nominees:

 

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 Female R&B/Pop Artist

Ari Lennox

Ayra Starr

Coco Jones

Kehlani

Muni Long

Summer Walker

SZA

Victoria Monét

 

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

BigXthePlug

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

Viewer’s Choice Award

“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

 

Best International Act

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)

 

Best New International Act

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)

BET Her

“Beautiful People”
Mary J. Blige

“Blackbiird”
Beyonce 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

 

Best Movie

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

 

Best Actor

Aaron Pierce

Aldis Hodge

Anthony Mackie

Colman Domingo

Denzel Washington

Jamie Foxx

Joey Bada$$

Kevin Hart

Sterling K. Brown

Will Smith

 

Best Actress

Andra Day

Angela Bassett

Coco Jones

Cynthia Erivo

Keke Palmer

Kerry Washington

Quinta Brunson

Viola Davis

Zendaya

Young Stars Award

Akira Akbar

Blue Ivy Carter

Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth

Heiress Harris

Melody Hurd

Thaddeus J. Mixson

Tyrik Johnson

VanVan

 

Sportswoman of the Year Award

A’ja Wilson

Angel Reese

Claressa Shields

Coco Gauff

Dawn Staley

Flau’jae Johnson

Juju Watkins

Sha’Carri Richardson

Simone Biles

 

Sportsman of the Year

Aaron Judge

Anthony Edwards

Deion Sanders

Jalen Hurts

Jayson Tatum

LeBron James

Saquon Barkley

Stephen Curry