The BET nominees were announced on Tuesday, May 14 at a press conference on the rooftop of L.A.’s Icon Ultra Lounge, just up the street from the Nokia Theatre where the BET Awards will be staged for the first time. Three Caribbean artists have the list of this year’s BET nominations though the Caribbean and Latin America regions were notably absent in the Best International Act categories.
Bajan pop star Rihanna, Trinidad’s Nicki Minaj and Trinidad Jame$ all made the list of nominees. Rihanna is up for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and Video of the Year and Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award categories for Diamonds. Nicki Minaj is vying for Best Female Hip Hop Artist while Jame$ has been nominated in the Best New Artist category.
Announcing the nominations were Tamar Braxton and Kendrick Lamar each of whom also received nominations. Drake leads with 12 nods followed by Lamar and 2 Chainz tied with eight nods. A$AP Rocky has five with Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Miguel tied with four.
The full list is below and glaringly absent is any Caribbean representation in the international categories! I am very pleased to see that international categories were added as this shows an effort by BET to become more global in their musical perspective. It also gives their fans a chance to appreciate a broader spectrum of music. But any urban awards show which includes international music but is devoid of Caribbean music is a misstep.
Reggae is one of the biggest international genres of music how could we go so far as to include international music and leave out reggae not to mention soca, zouk, etc.?? Let’s hope someone from BET hears my cry and next year we can have Caribbean representation at the BET Awards especially considering two of the top female pop acts right now are from the Caribbean: Rihanna and Nicki Minaj!
Drake is nominated three times for the top prize, video of the year. His hit, “Started from the Bottom,” will compete with his collaborations with 2 Chainz (“No Lie”) and A$AP Rocky (“Problems”). The top award has 10 nominees, including Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie,” Kanye West’s “Mercy,” ”Adorn” by Miguel and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop.”
Charlie Wilson was announced as this year’s Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. He was on hand for the press conference as was Chris Brown.
Chris Brown was announced as the first confirmed performer. He told those gathered that he “just wants to have fun” that night. “I always strive to give fans what they want. I always want to bring something new and original.” Brown also noted during the q and a portion that he has finished the video for the song “They Don’t Know” and that song features vocals from the late Aaliyah “that haven’t been heard before.
R. Kelly will also perform at the awards show, to air live June 30 from the Nokia Theater L.A. Live. This year’s BET Awards will be the culmination of the cable net’s first ever BET Experience, a three-day music and lifestyle fest done in partnership with AEG Live.
Chris Tucker will bring his own special brand of levity as BET Awards host. Riffing on the BET theme “Anything can happen,” Tucker joked, “I don’t know what I’m going to do… I might not show up. So anything can happen.” Then Tucker asked, “Have I got the check in the mail? That’s the first thing at the BET Awards. You got to be paid.” Noting he was joking he added, “all money goes to charity. The Chris Tucker Foundation.”
Check out the full list of nominees
BET Awards ’13 Nominations
The nominees for the BET Awards ‘13 include:
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé
Tamar Braxton
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Elle Varner
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Chris Brown
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Justin Timberlake
Usher
Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Mary Mary
Mindless Behavior
Slaughterhouse
The Throne (Kanye West & Jay-Z)
Best Collaboration
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
French Montana f/ Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne – Pop That
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
2 Chainz
A$AP Rocky
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Azealia Banks
Eve
Nicki Minaj
Rasheeda
Rye Rye
Video of the Year
2 Chainz f/ Drake – No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Drake f/ Lil Wayne – HYFR
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake – Poetic Justice
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz – Thrift Shop
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz – Mercy
Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Sam Lecca
Benny Boom
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams
Best New Artist
Azealia Banks
Joey Bada$$
Kendrick Lamar
Trinidad Jame$
The Weeknd
Best Gospel Artist
Deitrick Haddon
Lecrae
Tamela Mann
Mary Mary
Marvin Sapp
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Gabrielle Union
Kerry Washington
Best Actor
Don Cheadle
Common
Jamie Foxx
Samuel L. Jackson
Denzel Washington
YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Jaden Smith
Quvenzhané Wallis
Best Movie
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Sparkle
Think Like A Man
Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas
Brittney Griner
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Subway Sportsman of the Year
Victor Cruz
Kevin Durant
Robert Griffin III
LeBron James
Ray Lewis
Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar – Problems
Drake – Started From The Bottom
Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
Miguel – Adorn
Rihanna – Diamonds
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z – Suit & Tie
Centric Award
Tamar Braxton – Love and War
Fantasia – Lose To Win
Miguel – Adorn
Nas – Daughters
Charlie Wilson – My Love Is All I Have
Best International Act: Africa
2Face Idibia (Nigeria)
Toya Delazy (South Africa)
Donald (South Africa)
Ice Prince (Nigeria)
R2Bees (Ghana)
Radio and Weasel (Uganda)
Best International Act: UK
Marsha Ambrosius
Estelle
Labrinth
Rita Ora
Emeli Sandé
Wiley
