Nigerian music stars have once again grabbed global spotlight as BET unveiled its nominees for the 2025 BET Awards, with Ayra Starr standing out as the most nominated African artiste.
The 22-year-old singer, celebrated for her energetic sound and hit tracks, earned three nominations: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best New Artist, and Best International Act.
Ayra’s nominations follow her recent win at the Headies Awards, where she clinched Best Female Artiste, confirming her fast rise on the international scene.
Also making Nigeria proud is Grammy winner Tems, who bagged two nominations in the BET Her category for her moving songs “Burning” and “Hold On,” both from her debut album “Born In The Wild”.
Afrobeats giants Burna Boy and Rema were both shortlisted for Best International Act, reflecting their continued dominance in global music. Burna Boy, who has won the award four times, remains one of Africa’s most recognised exports.
Breakout star Shallipopi, known for his street-hop sound, secured a nomination in the Best New International Act category, showcasing Nigeria’s new wave of rising talent.
Other African artists on the nominee list include South Africa’s Tyla and Uncle Waffles, Ghana’s Black Sherif, and Tanzania’s Abigail Chams.
On the broader international scene, American rapper Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s nominations with ten nods, including Album of the Year for “GNX” and Video of the Year for “Not Like Us.” Doechii, Drake, Future, and GloRilla each scored six nominations, while Metro Boomin followed with five.
The BET nominations span across music, film, television, and sports, carefully selected by the BET Voting Academy, which includes professionals from entertainment, media, public relations, and the creative arts.
See the full list below:
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
AYRA STARR
ARI LENNOX
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
BURNA BOY
BIGXTHAPLUG
BOSSMAN DLOW
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
BIGXTHAPLUG
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)
BASHY (UNITED KINGDOM)
BLACK SHERIF (GHANA)
EZRA COLLECTIVE (UNITED KINGDOM)
JOÉ DWÈT FILÉ (FRANCE)
MC LUANNA (BRAZIL)
REMA (NIGERIA)
SDM (FRANCE)
TYLA (SOUTH AFRICA)
UNCLE WAFFLES (SWAZILAND)
Best New International Act
ABIGAIL CHAMS (TANZANIA)
AJULIACOSTA (BRAZIL)
AMABBI (BRAZIL)
DLALA THUKZIN (SOUTH AFRICA)
DR YARO (FRANCE)
KWN (UNITED KINGDOM)
MAGLERA DOE BOY (SOUTH AFRICA)
MERVEILLE (FRANCE)
ODEAL (UNITED KINGDOM)
SHALLIPOPI (NIGERIA)
TxC (SOUTH AFRICA)
BET Her
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE MARY J. BLIGE
BLACKBIIRD BEYONCÉ 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 PIERRE
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
YoungStars 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 Award
AARON JUDGE
ANTHONY EDWARDS
DEION SANDERS
JALEN HURTS
JAYSON TATUM
LEBRON JAMES
SAQUON BARKLEY
STEPHEN CURRY
