Entertainment

FULL LIST: Burna Boy, Shallipopi, Rema Get 2025 BET Awards Nominations As Ayra Starr Leads

Published

5 months ago

May 9, 2025

The 2025 BET Awards nominations are out—and African artists are making history.
With stars like Nigeria’s Ayra Starr, Rema, Shallipopi, and Burna Boy earning nods in top-tier categories traditionally dominated by American acts, this year’s lineup signals a powerful shift in global music dynamics.

Slated for 9 June at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, the awards are shaping up to be a landmark celebration of Black talent across the world.

Ayra Starr is nominated for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist—a fiercely contested category that includes SZA, Summer Walker, and Victoria Monét—marking a career milestone and reinforcing her rapid ascent on the global stage.

Africa’s influence continues in the Best International Act category, where Starr is joined by fellow Nigerian Rema, Ghana’s Black Sherif, South Africa’s Tyla, and eSwatini’s Uncle Waffles.

They’re up against peers from Brazil, France, and the UK, highlighting the continent’s expanding footprint in global music conversations.

Rising stars from South Africa, Nigeria, and Tanzania also dominate the Best New International Act category, further cementing Africa’s role as a hotbed of fresh, genre-defying talent.

Perhaps most notably, Burna Boy breaks new ground with a nomination for Best Male Hip Hop Artist, going head-to-head with heavyweights like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, the Creator—a rare crossover into a category typically reserved for U.S. rap icons.

As anticipation builds, this year’s BET Awards are already being hailed as a moment of reckoning for African music’s influence—and a celebration of its rightful place on the world stage.

Here is the full list of nominees, categories:

R&B/Pop Artist

⁠Ayra Starr
⁠Ari Lennox
⁠Coco Jones
⁠Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Victoria Monét

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)

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

Burna Boy
⁠BigXthaPlug
⁠Bossman Dlow
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Key Glock
Lil Wayne
Tyler, the Creator

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 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 ft. Kendrick Lamar
‘Alter Ego’ – Doechii ft. JT
‘Are You Even Real’ – Teddy Swims ft. 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 ft. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne
‘Timeless’ – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Rapsody
Sexyy Red

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 ft. 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 ft. Jennifer Hudson
‘Amen’ – Pastor Mike Jr.
‘Better Days’ – Fridayy
‘Church Doors (Terry Hunter Remix)’ – Yolanda Adams feat. Sir The Baptist & Donald Lawrence
‘Constant’ – Maverick City Music, Jordin Sparks, Chandler Moore & Anthony Gargiula
‘Deserve To Win’ – Tamela Mann
‘Faith’ – Rapsody
‘Rain Down on Me’ – GloRilla ft. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music

Viewer’s Choice Award

‘Residuals’ – Chris Brown
‘Denial Is A River’ – Doechii
‘Nokia’ – Drake
‘Like That’ – Future & Metro Boomin ft. Kendrick Lamar
‘TGIF’ – GloRilla
‘Not Like Us’ – Kendrick Lamar
‘Luther’ – Kendrick Lamar & SZA
‘Brokey’ – Latto

BET Her

‘Beautiful People’ – Mary J. Blige
‘Blackbiird’ – Beyoncé ft. 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’ – Tem
‘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

Launched in 2001, the BET Awards were created by Black Entertainment Television to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and entertainment.
Over the years, the show has evolved into one of the most influential platforms honouring Black excellence globally.

Held annually, the awards spotlight trailblazing talent and cultural milestones, with performances, tributes, and iconic moments that shape the broader narrative of Black artistry.

As the entertainment industry becomes more global, the BET Awards have expanded their reach, increasingly recognising international acts—particularly from Africa—whose voices are redefining the global music landscape.
Tosin Oyediran
Tosin, with over six years’ experience, conducts incisive interviews, pens engaging features, subedits and delivers impactful stories for the digital sphere.

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Entertainment

Why I Married Mr Eazi – Temi Otedola

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Actress and fashion influencer, Temi Ajibade, has revealed why she decided to marry Afrobeats singer, Oluwatosin Ajibade, popularly known as Mr Eazi.

In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, Temi described the singer as her best friend and the person she always wanted to spend her life with.

“He’s my best friend. He’s my person. And I think when you meet your person, you will know. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anybody else. He’s the person that I’m excited and can’t wait to spend every day with, build our lives together, work through our ups and downs together, celebrate together, and solve problems together. He’s simply my person,” she said.

Temi, who recently updated her social media bio to reflect her husband’s surname, explained that taking on the name Ajibade was a personal decision.

“To be deeply honest with you, it’s not anything I had thought about before. Obviously, now that I’m a married woman, the obvious thing for me is to take my husband’s name. But it’s my personal choice. I respect everybody’s personal choice. It’s what I’m comfortable and happy doing, but I also respect a woman’s ability to choose,” she added.

She also spoke about her choice to keep her engagement and wedding private, saying it was about controlling her narrative.

“I think it’s more about owning your own narrative. There’s something about moving in silence that allows you to have control over things. It allows you to build the narrative you want, and you’re able to share when you feel ready to share and in the way you want to share it,” she said.

Temi, daughter of billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, admitted that her father influenced her outlook on life, but noted that he encouraged her and her sisters to chart their own paths instead of relying on his businesses.
She further acknowledged that coming from a privileged background gave her an advantage, but stressed that the real test was how one used such opportunities.

“You will never hear me say it doesn’t. I think it’s very important for people who are privileged to acknowledge that leg up they’ve gotten in life. Maybe the caveat is that you can give someone a leg up, but it’s what they do with it that matters,” she said.

Entertainment

Salawa Abeni Reacts To Death Rumours

Published

4 days ago

September 29, 2025

Editor

Veteran Nigerian musician, Salawa Abeni has reacted to her death rumours.

The singer in a video shared on her Instagram page debunked the viral report, and described it as “shameful”.

While appreciating her fans and loved ones for their concerns, Salawa Abeni urged the general public to disregard the rumours.

Singing in the video, she declared that anyone wishing her dead shall die before her.

Captioning the video, the 64-year-old songstress wrote “I’m alive, hail, and hearty. Please disregard the rumours. Some blogs will do the unthinkable just to trend. It is rather shameful. The Queen is fine and doing very well”.

Entertainment

FULL LIST: Imisi, Koyin, Others Make Top 10 Ahead BBNaija S10 Grand Finale

Published

5 days ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Big Brother Naija 10/10 housemates have been narrowed down to the top 10 finalists ahead of Sunday’s grand finale.

The finalists are Kola, Imisi, Isabella, Sultana, Jason Jae, Mensan, Koyin, Kaybobo, Dede, and Faith.

During the live eviction show in Lagos on Sunday, the show host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu announced the exit of three housemates; Mide, Zita, and Rooboy.

The remaining seven contestants joined Sultana, the Head of House; Mensan, the most influential player; and Kaybobo, who secured immunity through the red phone twist deducting ₦10 million from the prize money.

Mide, the first to leave, expressed surprise at how far she had made it in the house.

She said last week was particularly difficult without Bright Morgan but reminded herself why she was in the game.

She told fans, “Watch out for Mide the actress, she is coming,” revealing that her time in the house sparked a passion for acting she plans to explore outside the Big Brother Naija house.

Zita was the second to exit. On stage, she said she was grateful to God for the time spent in the house and reflected on her journey.

On a potential reunion with Danboskid, she said she cannot say until she meets him. Regarding her fight with Rooboy, she described it as emotional, saying, Rooboy is a cool person.

Rooboy was the third housemate evicted. On stage, he shared his plans to explore hyping, acting, contribution into the football community and acting.

The eviction also featured a brief moment with Faith, who acknowledged some tension in the house.

Asked by Ebuka about conflicts with colleagues, he admitted, “I am the problem sometimes and sometimes it is the housemates.”

Isabella addressed questions about her interactions with various male housemates, including Koyin, explaining, she was just having fun.” Koyin confirmed that the fun was mutual.

The bottom three for the week saw Mide topping the chart, with Zita at the last spot.

Sunday’s grand finale promises an exciting conclusion as the top 10 housemates compete for the BBNaija 10/10 crown.