BEST Hip Hop Awards 2023: Cardi B, 21 Savage and Drake Lead Nominations

It’s that time of year again, music lovers — the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards are coming! On Thursday, the network announced the nominees for the 18th annual show celebrating the past year in hip hop music. And, of course, as the only award show dedicated to celebrating hip hop culture, this year’s telecast is especially major as it will salute 50 years of the musical genre with not-to-be-missed moments and performances.

Although the network hasn’t announced a host for this year, the show is slated to tape from the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 3 before its premiere on Tuesday, Oct. 10 on BET.

Cardi B and 21 Savage lead this year’s nominations with an outstanding 12 nods each, including Lyricist of the Year, Hip Hop Artist of the Year, Hustler of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video (twice for 21 Savage), Best Collaboration (twice for Cardi B), Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse and Song of the Year.

Drake follows the duo with nine nods, including Best Hip Hop Video, Best Duo or Group, Best Live Performer, Lyricist of the Year, Song of the Year and Hip Hop Artist of the Year. Burna Boy and DJ Khaled round out the top five with seven nods each, followed by J. Cole with six nods, Coi Leray, GloRilla, and JAY-Z tied at five nods each and Lil Uzi Vert, who received four nominations.

“This year’s ‘BET Hip Hop Awards will mark the culmination of our year-long celebration of hip hop’s storied creation and the art form’s sonic and cultural expansion,” said Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy for BET. “We are honored by this year’s roster of nominees as they continue to carry the creativity and diversity of hip hop into the future. We congratulate each nominee on their accomplishments as they take hip hop artistry to new heights.”

Check out the full list of nominees below:

BEST HIP HOP VIDEO

Lil Uzi Vert, “Just Wanna Rock”
Coi Leray, “Players (DJ Smallz 732 – Jersey Club Remix)”
Latto Feat. Cardi B, “Put It On Da Floor Again”
Dababy, “Shake Sumn”
Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
Drake & 21 Savage, “Spin Bout U”
Glorilla & Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2”

BEST COLLABORATION

Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
DJ Khaled Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy, “God Did”
Coi Leray Feat. Busta Rhymes, “Players (DJ Saige Remix)”
Ice Spice & Nicki Minaj, “Princess Diana”
Latto Feat. Cardi B, “Put It On Da Floor Again”
Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
Glorilla & Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2”

BEST DUO OR GROUP

City Girls
DJ Drama & Jeezy
Drake & 21 Savage
Earthgang
Larry June & The Alchemist
Quavo & Takeoff
Rae Sremmurd

BEST LIVE PERFORMER

Burna Boy
Busta Rhymes
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Dababy
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion

LYRICIST OF THE YEAR

21 Savage
André 3000
Burna Boy
Cardi B
Conway The Machine
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Anderson .Paak
Cole Bennett
Colin Tilley
Dababy & Reel Goats
Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Dave Meyers
Travis Scott

SONG OF THE YEAR

Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
DJ Khaled Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy, “God Did”
Lil Uzi Vert, “Just Wanna Rock”
Coi Leray, “Players”
Latto Feat. Cardi B, “Put It On Da Floor Again”
Drake & 21 Savage, “Rich Flex”
Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage, “Sittin’ On Top Of The World”
Glorilla & Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2”

HIP HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Glorilla, Anyways, Life’s Great…
Coi Leray, Coi
DJ Khaled, God Did
Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss
Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains
Jack Harlow, Jackman
Lil Uzi Vert, Pink Tape
Megan Thee Stallion, Traumazine

HIP HOP ARTIST OF THE YEAR

21 Savage
Burna Boy
Cardi B
Drake
Glorilla
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Uzi Vert

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

ATL Jacob
DJ Khaled
Dr. Dre
Hit-boy
Hitmaka
Kaytranada
London On Da Track
Metro Boomin
The Alchemist

BEST BREAKTHROUGH HIP HOP ARTIST

Armani White
Central Cee
Doechii
Finesse2tymes
Ice Spice
Kaliii
Lola Brooke
Sexyy Redd

DJ OF THE YEAR

Chase B
D-NICE
DJ Cassidy
DJ Clark Kent
DJ Drama
DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Khaled
Kaytranada
Metro Boomin

BEST HIP HOP PLATFORM

All Hip Hop
Caresha Please
Drink Champs
Hiphop DX
Million Dollaz Worth Of Game
Rap Caviar
The Breakfast Club
The Joe Budden Podcast
XXL

HUSTLER OF THE YEAR

21 Savage
50 Cent
Burna Boy
Cardi B
Caresha
DJ Khaled
Drake
Jay-z

SWEET 16: BEST FEATURED VERSE

21 Savage, “Creepin'” (Metro Boomin Feat. The Weeknd & 21 Savage)
21 Savage, “Peaches & Eggplants” (Young Nudy Feat. 21 Savage)
André 3000, “Scientists & Engineers” (Killer Mike & André 3000 Feat. Future & Eryn Allen Kane)
Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2” (Glorilla & Cardi B)
Cardi B, “Put It On Da Floor Again” (Latto Feat. Cardi B)
Drake, “Oh U Went” (Young Thug Feat. Drake)
J. Cole, “All My Life” (Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole)
JAY-Z, “God Did” (DJ Khaled Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy)

IMPACT TRACK

Nas, “30”
Lil Durk Feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Megan Thee Stallion, “Anxiety”
Symba, “Can’t Win For Nothing”
Nle Choppa, “Champions”
DJ Khaled Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend & Fridayy, “God Did”
Killer Mike & André 3000 Feat. Future & Eryn Allen Kane, “Scientists & Engineers”
Robert Glasper Feat. Mac Miller, “Therapy Pt. 2”

BEST INTERNATIONAL FLOW

Aka (South Africa)
Black Sherif (Ghana)
Central Cee (Uk)
Gazo (France)
J Hus (Uk)
K.O (South Africa)
Major Rd (Brazil)
Ninho (France)
Sampa The Great (Zambia)
Tasha & Tracie (Brazil)