The BET Awards 2023 nominations have been announced, and Nigerian music stars Burna Boy, Wizkid, Tems, Ayra Starr, and Asake have received nods in various categories.
The BET Awards, which celebrates the best in black entertainment, will be held on June 25, 2023, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. This year’s nominees represent a diverse array of talent from across the globe, but it’s the Nigerian stars occupying major categories who are generating the most buzz.
Burna Boy, who won the Best International Act category at the 2021 BET Awards, is once again nominated in the same category. Burna Boy is also nominated in major categories such as Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Viewers Choice Award, where he will compete against the likes of Chris Brown, Blxst, Drake, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Lizzo, Jack Harlow, Nicki Minaj.
Tems, who has become a household name in the music industry with hits like ‘Essence’ and her ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ rendition of ‘No Woman No Cry’ has been nominated for Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Best Collaboration and Viewer’s Choice Award. She will be up against some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Ari Lennox, Beyoncé, Coco Jones, H.E.R., Lizzo, and SZA in the Best Female R&B/Pop Artist category.
Wizkid who won ‘Best Collaboration’ in 2022 has been nominated in the same category with ‘Call Me Everyday’ featuring Chris Brown.
Ayra Starr and Asake are receiving their first BET Awards nominations and are both nominated in the Best International Act and Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act category respectively.
Ayra Starr, who is signed to Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records, has quickly become one of Nigeria’s most exciting new artists, with hits like ‘Rush’ and “Bloody Samaritan’. Asake, on the other hand, is known for his successful debut album ‘Mr Money with The Vibe’ and has been making waves in the Nigerian music scene since 2021.
Drake and GloRilla led in number of nominations this year with the ‘Gods Plan’ rapper raking in at seven nominations, including best male hip-hop artist, best male R&B/pop artist, best group with 21 Savage and album of the year for Her Loss with 21 Savage.
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Like Drake, GloRilla’s nominations are split pretty evenly between solo and collaborative efforts, including best female hip hop artist, best new artist, album of the year for Anyways, Life’s Great, video of the year for ‘Tomorrow 2’ with Cardi B, and two nominations for best collaboration ‘F.N.F. Let’s Go’ and ‘Tomorrow 2’.
The competition is fierce, and fans are eagerly anticipating the results. The BET Awards have become one of the most prestigious awards shows in the music industry, and winning a BET Award can be a career-defining moment for any artist. The awards show has a long history of celebrating black excellence in entertainment and has played a pivotal role in promoting and elevating black voices in popular culture.
In recent years, Nigerian music has gained global recognition, and the BET Awards nominations are a testament to the talent and hard work of Nigerian artists. Burna Boy and Wizkid’s previous wins at the BET Awards were significant milestones for the Nigerian music industry, and this year’s nominations are further proof of the industry’s growth and success.
As the countdown to the BET Awards 2023 begins, fans are already placing their bets on who will come out on top. Will Burna Boy retain his title as Best International Act, or will Wizkid take home the award once again? Will Tems become the first Nigerian artist to win Best Female R&B/Pop Artist? Or will Ayra Starr or Asake shock the world.
