BET Awards to air on network TV for the first time in history, nominations announced
Hosted by comedian Amanda Seales, the annual awards show will simulcast on BET, BET HER & CBS June 28 at 8 p.m. ET.
As the #BlackLivesMatter movement is continuing to make waves globally, many corporations are exploring new ways to stand in solidarity.
On Monday, ViacomCBS announced that the 2020 BET Awards will be simulcast on CBS, marking the first time it will air on a national broadcast network in the show’s 20-year history.
The historic virtual showing will air on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET following a pre-show hosted by Terrence J and Erica Ash on BET at 7 p.m. ET.
READ MORE: Here’s how the BET Awards will go on amid coronavirus crisis
Hosted by comedian and actress Amanda Seales, the 2020 BET Awards will include performances by Alicia Keys, Chloe X Halle, DaBaby, D Smoke, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Jonathan McReynolds, Kane Brown, Lil Wayne, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, SiR, Summer Walker, Usher, Wayne Brady and more.
Recording artist Alicia Keys performs onstage during the 2016 BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/BET/Getty Images for BET)
BET Amplified Artists, Masego and Lonr. are set to take the BET Amplified Music Stage, a platform for emerging artists.
According to a BET press release, the Nielsen Company names the “BET Awards” as one of the most-watched award shows on cable television and the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans.
The press release also states that “in its twentieth year, the ‘BET AWARDS’ continues its reign as the ultimate platform to showcase the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change.
“BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The ‘BET Awards’ 2020 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.”
READ MORE: BET founder Bob Johnson wants US to pay $14T in reparations for slavery
Megan Thee Stallion speaks onstage at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2019 at Cobb Energy Center on October 5, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
As far as nominations go, Drake returns to the top spot securing six nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and two nods for both ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice’ for his features alongside Chris Brown (“No Guidance”) and Future (“Life Is Good”).
Newcomers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch garnered the second most nods with five nominations each followed by Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo, and DaBaby with four nominations each.
The complete list of nominees for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 are:
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
H.E.R.
JHENE AIKO
KEHLANI
LIZZO
SUMMER WALKER
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHRIS BROWN
JACQUEES
KHALID
THE WEEKND
USHER
BEST GROUP
CHLOE X HALLE
CITY GIRLS
EARTHGANG
GRISELDA
JACKBOYS
MIGOS
BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE – NO GUIDANCE
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND – HIGHER
FUTURE FT. DRAKE – LIFE IS GOOD
H.E.R. FT. YG – SLIDE
MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN – HOT GIRL SUMMER
WALE FT. JEREMIH – ON CHILL
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY
DRAKE
FUTURE
LIL BABY
RODDY RICCH
TRAVIS SCOTT
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
LIZZO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
SAWEETIE
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE – NO GUIDANCE
DABABY – BOP
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND – HIGHER
DOJA CAT – SAY SO
MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN – HOT GIRL SUMMER
RODDY RICCH – THE BOX
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
COLE BENNETT
DAVE MEYERS
DIRECTOR X
EIF RIVERA
TEYANA “SPIKE TEE” TAYLOR
BEST NEW ARTIST
DANILEIGH
LIL NAS X
POP SMOKE
RODDY RICCH
SUMMER WALKER
YBN CORDAE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CUZ I LOVE YOU -LIZZO
FEVER – MEGAN THEE STALLION
HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM – BEYONCÉ
I USED TO KNOW HER – H.E.R.
KIRK – DABABY
PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL – RODDY RICCH
BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
FRED HAMMOND – ALRIGHT
JOHN P. KEE FT. ZACARDI CORTEZ – I MADE IT OUT
KANYE WEST – FOLLOW GOD
KIRK FRANKLIN – JUST FOR ME
PJ MORTON FT. LE’ANDRIA JOHNSON & MARY MARY – ALL IN HIS PLAN
THE CLARK SISTERS – VICTORY
BEST ACTRESS
ANGELA BASSETT
CYNTHIA ERIVO
ISSA RAE
REGINA KING
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
ZENDAYA
BEST ACTOR
BILLY PORTER
EDDIE MURPHY
FOREST WHITAKER
JAMIE FOXX
MICHAEL B. JORDAN
OMARI HARDWICK
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
ALEX HIBBERT
ASANTE BLACKK
JAHI DI’ALLO WINSTON
MARSAI MARTIN
MILES BROWN
STORM REID
BEST MOVIE
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
HARRIET
HOMECOMING: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ
JUST MERCY
QUEEN & SLIM
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
AJEÉ WILSON
CLARESSA SHIELDS
COCO GAUFF
NAOMI OSAKA
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
KAWHI LEONARD
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
PATRICK MAHOMES II
STEPHEN CURRY
BET HER AWARD
ALICIA KEYS – UNDERDOG
BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN – BROWN SKIN GIRL
CIARA FT. LUPITA NYONG’O, ESTER DEAN, CITY GIRLS & LA LA – MELANIN
LAYTON GREENE – I CHOOSE
LIZZO FT. MISSY ELLIOT – TEMPO
RAPSODY FT. PJ MORTON – AFENI
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE – NO GUIDANCE
DABABY – BOP
FUTURE FT. DRAKE – LIFE IS GOOD
MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN – HOT GIRL SUMMER
RODDY RICCH – THE BOX
THE WEEKND HEARTLESS
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
INNOSS’B (DRC)
SHO MADJOZI (S. AFRICA)
DAVE (U.K.)
STORMZY (U.K.)
NINHO (FRANCE)
S.PRI NOIR (FRANCE)
VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
REMA (NIGERIA)
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)
CELESTE (U.K.)
YOUNG T & BUGSEY (U.K.)
HATIK (FRANCE)
STACY (FRANCE)
Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2 a.m. CAT on June 29, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29 at 9 p.m. BST, France on June 30 at 9:45 p.m. CEST and in South Korea on June 30 at 9 p.m. KST.
BET.com/betawards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year’s show.
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