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BET Awards 2026 Red Carpet Pre-Show: The Countdown Begins Now!

The BET Awards 2026 Red Carpet Live! is hosted by Bow Wow, Rocsi Diaz, Jason Lee, Lauren LaRosa, Brian McIntosh, and Tierra Marsh.

Before host/comedian Druski kicks off tonight's BET Awards 2026 at 8 pm ET/PT from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, viewers will be given more than two hours of red carpet pre-show festivities. The BET Awards 2026 Red Carpet Live! streams live beginning at 5:30 pm ET, offering a look at the famous faces, fabulous fashions, and one-of-a-kind moments that only the red carpet can bring. We've got the YouTube video below (or head over to BET's YouTube channel), with BET's social media channels (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube) expected to spotlight the red carpet pre-show and main awards show.

Hosted by Bow Wow, Rocsi Diaz, Jason Lee, Lauren LaRosa, Brian McIntosh, and Tierra Marsh, this special livestream gives you front-row access to all the excitement before the BET Awards take over the stage – here's a look at the BET Awards 2026 Red Carpet Live! 

BET Awards 2026 Categories & Nominees

Cardi B leads the nominations with six, Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist tie with five nominations, and Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean, and Latto earn four nominations each. A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Kehlani, Metro Boomin, SZA, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, T.I., and YK Niece receive three nominations each. Now, here's a look at the two new categories that were added this year:

• Fashion Vanguard Award recognizes a global figure whose fashion presence has had long-standing cultural impact, has significantly influenced style narratives, and continues to elevate fashion as a form of storytelling across music, film, sports, and public life.
• Pulse Award recognizes a creator, campaign, or content series that most powerfully moved Black culture forward in digital spaces by sparking conversation, building community, and defining the moment online. This award celebrates the intersection of creativity, authenticity, and cultural impact across social media, streaming, podcasting, and beyond.

The Fashion Vanguard Award (NEW)

• A$AP Rocky
• Bad Bunny
• Beyoncé
• Cardi B
• Colman Domingo
• Doechii
• Rihanna
• Teyana Taylor
• Zendaya

The Pulse Award (NEW)

• 85 South Show
• Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
• Charlamagne Tha God
• Don Lemon
• Druski
• It Is What It Is
• Joe and Jada
• On the Radar
• R&B Money Podcast

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

• Ari Lennox
• Coco Jones
• Ella Mai
• Jill Scott
• Kehlani
• Mariah the Scientist
• Olivia Dean
• SZA
• Tems

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

• Brent Faiyaz
• Bruno Mars
• Bryson Tiller
• Chris Brown
• Durand Bernarr
• GIVĒON
• Leon Thomas
• October London
• Usher

Best Group

• 41
• Clipse
• De La Soul
• FLO
• French Montana & Max B
• Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz
• Nas & DJ Premier
• Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
• Wizkid & Asake

Best Collaboration

• "Chains & Whips" — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar
• "Errtime Remix" — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto
• "Go Girl" — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
• "Good Flirts" — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd
• "Is It a Crime" — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis
• "It Depends (The Remix)" — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher
• "Take Me Thru Dere" — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz
• "wgft" — Gunna feat. Burna Boy

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

• A$AP Rocky
• Baby Keem
• BigXthaPlug
• DaBaby
• Don Toliver
• Drake
• J. Cole
• Kendrick Lamar
• T.I.

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

• Cardi B
• Coi Leray
• Doechii
• Doja Cat
• GloRilla
• Latto
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Monaleo
• YK Niece

Video of the Year

• "100" — Ella Mai
• "Anxiety" — Doechii
• "Burning Blue" — Mariah the Scientist
• "Chanel" — Tyla
• "Escape Room (Short Film)" — Teyana Taylor
• "Folded" — Kehlani
• "LET 'EM KNOW" — T.I.
• "luther" — Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Video Director of the Year

• A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit
• Anderson .Paak
• Benny Boom
• Cactus Jack
• Cardi B & Patientce Foster
• Cole Bennett
• Director X
• Hype Williams
• Teyana "Spike-Tey" Taylor

Best New Artist

• Belly Gang Kushington
• Destin Conrad
• JayDon
• kwn
• Miles Minnick
• Monaleo
• Olivia Dean
• RAYE
• Trap Dickey

Album of the Year

• AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B
• DON'T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, the Creator
• everything is a lot. — Wale
• HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY — Mariah the Scientist
• Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse
• MUTT Deluxe: HEEL — Leon Thomas
• The Fall-Off — J. Cole
• The Romantic — Bruno Mars

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

• "Able" — Kirk Franklin
• "ABLE (REMIX)" — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell
• "All to Thee" — BeBe Winans
• "Already Good (Tasha Slide)" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
• "At the Cross" — CeCe Winans
• "Church" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend
• "Do It Again" — Kirk Franklin
• "Headphones" — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.

Best Actress

• Angela Bassett
• Ayo Edebiri
• Chase Infiniti
• Coco Jones
• Cynthia Erivo
• Keke Palmer
• Quinta Brunson
• Regina Hall
• Teyana Taylor

Best Actor

• Aaron Pierre
• Aldis Hodge
• Anthony Mackie
• Colman Domingo
• Damson Idris
• Delroy Lindo
• Denzel Washington
• Michael B. Jordan
• Sterling K. Brown

YoungStars Award

• Daria Johns
• Graceyn "Gracie" Hollingsworth
• Heiress Harris
• Jazzy's World TV
• Lela Hoffmeister
• North West
• Thaddeus J. Mixson
• VanVan

Best Movie

• Highest 2 Lowest
• Him
• Number One on the Call Sheet
• One Battle After Another
• Relationship Goals
• Ruth & Boaz
• Sinners
• Wicked: For Good

Sportswoman of the Year Award

• A'ja Wilson — Basketball
• Angel Reese — Basketball
• Claressa Shields — Boxing
• Coco Gauff — Tennis
• Flau'jae Johnson — Basketball
• Gabby Thomas — Track & Field
• Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics
• Naomi Osaka — Tennis
• Sha'Carri Richardson — Track & Field

Sportsman of the Year Award

• Aaron Judge — Baseball
• Anthony Edwards — Basketball
• Caleb Williams — Football
• Jalen Brunson — Basketball
• Jalen Hurts — Football
• LeBron James — Basketball
• Shedeur Sanders — Football
• Stephen Curry — Basketball

BET Her

• "Already Good (Tasha Slide)" — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
• "Be Great" — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty
• "Beautiful People" — Jill Scott
• "First" — Tems
• "girl, get up." — Doechii feat. SZA
• "Go Girl" — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
• "Gorgeous" — Doja Cat
• "Lady Lady" — Olivia Dean

Viewers' Choice

• "Burning Blue" — Mariah the Scientist
• "Chains & Whips" — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar
• "Chanel" — Tyla
• "Folded" — Kehlani
• "I Just Might" — Bruno Mars
• "It Depends" — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller
• "Man I Need" — Olivia Dean
• "Outside" — Cardi B
• "Raindance" — Dave & Tems
• "Take Me Thru Dere" — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz

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