By Emma Davis · May 20, 2026

BET Awards 2026 Nominations: Cardi B Leads With 6, Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist Tie for 5

The BET Awards 2026 nominations are officially out, and Cardi B is running the board with 6 nods — including Album of the Year for "AM I THE DRAMA?" Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist each grabbed 5 nominations, while Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto all sit at 4 apiece. The ceremony airs live Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.

Cardi B's Six Nominations Feel Like a Victory Lap

I have to be honest — when I saw Cardi B sitting at the top of the BET Awards 2026 nominations list with six nods, my first reaction was "it's about time." This woman released one of the most talked-about albums of the year with "AM I THE DRAMA?" and then proceeded to dominate the conversation in ways that most artists can only dream about.

Let me break down her full slate: Album of the Year for "AM I THE DRAMA?", the Fashion Vanguard Award (because of course she gets that one), Best Collaboration for "Errtime Remix" featuring Jeezy and Latto, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video Director of the Year alongside Patience Foster, and Viewers' Choice for "Outside." The Video Director nod is the one that really catches my eye. Cardi behind the camera? She is proving she is not just a performer — she is a creative force across the entire production chain.

The Fashion Vanguard Award in particular feels personal. Cardi has been a red carpet conversation starter since day one, and BET acknowledging that with a dedicated honor says something about how the industry views her cultural impact beyond music.

Kendrick Lamar: Five Nominations and Still the Standard

Kendrick Lamar's five BET Awards 2026 nominations are the kind of showing that quietly reminds everyone who the best rapper alive is. Video of the Year for "luther" with SZA, Best Collaboration for "Chains & Whips" with Clipse, another Best Collaboration nod for "Good Flirts" with Baby Keem and Momo Boyd, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, and Viewers' Choice.

What I find most interesting is the "luther" nomination. That track with SZA was an emotional gut punch when it dropped, and seeing it nominated for Video of the Year tells me voters recognized that it was not just a good song — it was a visual experience. Kendrick has always treated music videos as an extension of his storytelling, and this one delivered.

The double collaboration noms also highlight something I have been saying all year: Kendrick's ability to elevate every artist he works with is unmatched. The Clipse reunion on "Chains & Whips" felt like a passing-of-the-torch moment, while "Good Flirts" with Baby Keem showed a completely different side of his range.

Mariah the Scientist Ties Kendrick — And That Is a Big Deal

Let's talk about Mariah the Scientist tying Kendrick Lamar with 5 nominations. That is not just a stat — it is a statement. For an R&B artist to match one of the biggest names in hip-hop tells you exactly how explosive her year has been. She has gone from a rising name to someone BET considers a centerpiece of their awards show, and I think that trajectory is only going up from here.

I remember listening to her earlier projects and thinking she was one bad rollout away from fading into the background. Instead, she leveled up in a way that made the entire industry pay attention. Five BET nominations is the kind of validation that changes a career permanently.

The Four-Nomination Club Is Stacked

Below the top three, you have got a murderer's row of talent sitting at four nominations each: Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto. Each of these artists had a defining moment this past year, and the BET Awards 2026 nominations reflect that.

Doechii is probably the most exciting name on that list for me. She has been building momentum with a kind of creative fearlessness that reminds me of early Missy Elliott — you never know what she is going to do next, and that unpredictability is her greatest weapon. Clipse showing up with four nods is also noteworthy given their collaboration presence across other nominees' work.

Doja Cat at four nominations is interesting because her year has been so polarizing. Some people loved the artistic direction she took; others found it alienating. Either way, BET voters clearly side with the "she delivered" camp. Latto continuing to rack up nominations confirms what her streaming numbers already told us — she connects with audiences at a level that awards bodies cannot ignore.

June 28 Cannot Come Soon Enough

The BET Awards 2026 airs live Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT, and I am already clearing my schedule. This is one of those years where the nominations are so loaded across the board that predicting winners feels impossible. Will Cardi B sweep? Can Kendrick's "luther" beat out whatever else is in the Video of the Year field? Is this finally Mariah the Scientist's breakout awards moment?

I have been watching BET Awards for over a decade, and the energy around this year's nominations feels different. There is a genuine sense of competition at the top that has been missing in recent years. When your leading nominee has six nods and there are still seven other artists sitting at four or five each, you know the show is going to deliver some surprises. Check out what else has been making waves in entertainment with Billie Eilish's concert film premiere and the emotional Stephen Colbert Late Show finale.