Top African Musicians Nominated for 2018 BET Award

By Carlos Ncube
Published May 18, 2018

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards have nominated five African for the 2018 edition of the ceremony.

The five have been nominated for the Best International Act Award and include South African rapper Cassper Nyovest and gqom duo Distruction Boyz, Nigerian superstars Davido and Tiwa Savage as well as Congolese singer Fally Ipupa.

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Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage is the only African woman up for the BET Best international Act Award.

This year the Best International Act Award combines Africa and Europe whereas in 2017 artists from the two continents were awarded separately in the Best International Act Africa and Best International Act Europe categories.

This time round African nominees will be up against French artists Booba, Niska and Dadju as well as Stormzy, Stefflon Don and J Hus from the UK. The winner in the category will be selected through public voting by fans using a hashtag assigned to each artist.

In 2017, Wizkid walked away with the African award after fending off stiff competition from AKA, Tekno, Davido and Babes Wodumo, who did not to attend the event due to management issues. Tanzanian singer Rayvanny walked away with the International Viewers’ Choice Award while the princess of Africa Yvonne Chaka Chaka was given the Global Good Power Award.

US artist DJ Khaled is this year’s most nominated artists with six nods. The awards will take place at LA Live in the US on June 24, 2018.

Here is the full list of BET Awards 2018 Nominees:

Best International Act Award
Booba (France)
Cassper Nyovest (SA)
Dadju (France)
Davido (Nigeria)
Distruction Boyz (SA)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
J Hus (UK)
Niska (France)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Stefflon Don (UK)
Stormzy (UK)

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Best Female R&B / Pop Artist Award
Beyoncé
SZA
H.E.R.
Rihanna
Kehlani

Best Male R&B / Pop Artist Award
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
The Weeknd
Khalid
Daniel Caesar

Best Group Award
Migos
A Tribe Called Quest
N*E*R*D
Rae Sremmurd
Chloe x Halle

Best Collaboration Award
Bruno Mars ft Cardi B – ‘Finesse (Remix)’
DJ Khaled ft Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – ‘Wild Thoughts’
DJ Khaled ft Jay-Z, Future & Beyoncé – ‘Top Off’
Cardi B ft 21 Savage – ‘Bartier Cardi’
French Montana ft Swae Lee – ‘Unforgettable’
Kendrick Lamar ft Rihanna – ‘Loyalty’

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Best Male Hip Hop Artist Award
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
DJ Khaled
Jay-Z
J Cole

Best Female Hip Hop Artist Award
Cardi B
Nicki Minaj
Remy Ma
Dej Loaf
Rapsody

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Video of the Year Award
Drake – ‘God’s Plan’
Cardi B – ‘Bodak Yellow’
Bruno Mars ft Cardi B – ‘Finesse (Remix)’
DJ Khaled ft Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – ‘Wild Thoughts’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Humble’
Migos ft Drake – ‘Walk It Talk It’

Video Director of the Year Award
Benny Boom
Director X
Ava DuVernay
Chris Brown
Dave Meyers

Best New Artist Award
SZA
H.E.R.
Daniel Caesar
GoldLink
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie

Dr Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspirational Award
Lecrae ft Tory Kelly – ‘I’ll Find You’
Snoop Dogg ft B Slade – ‘Words Are Few’
Ledisi and Kirk Franklin – ‘If You Don’t Mind’
Marvin Sapp – ‘Close’
Tasha Cobbs Leonard ft Nicki Minaj – ‘I’m Getting Ready’

Best Actress Award
Tiffany Haddish
Lupita Nyong’o
Issa Rae
Angela Bassett
Letitia Wright
Taraji P Henson

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Best Actor Award
Chadwick Boseman
Michael B Jordan
Donald Glover
Sterling K Brown
Denzel Washington
Daniel Kaluuya

Young Stars Award
Yara Shahidi
Ashton Tyler
Caleb McLaughlin
Lonnie Chavis
Marsai Martin
Miles Brown

Best Movie Award
Black Panther
Girls Trip
A Wrinkle in Time
Detroit
Mudbound

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Sportswoman of the Year Award
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Candace Parker
Elana Meyers Taylor

Sportsman of the Year Award
Stephen Curry
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwyane Wade
Odell Beckham Jr

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Album of the Year Award
Kendrick Lamar – Damn
SZA – Ctrl
Jay-Z – 4:44
Migos – Culture II
Kendrick Lamar and Various Artists – Black Panther: The Album
DJ Khaled – Grateful

BET Her Award
Janelle Monáe – ‘Django Jane’
Lizzo – ‘Water Me’
Mary J Blige – ‘Strength of a Woman’
Remy Ma ft Chris Brown – ‘Melanin Magic (Pretty Brown)’
Chloe x Halle – ‘The Kids Are Alright’
Leikeli47 – ‘2nd Fiddle’

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Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
SZA ft Travis Scott – ‘Love Galore’
Cardi B – ‘Bodak Yellow’
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Humble’
Drake – ‘God’s Plan’
Migos ft Nicki Minaj and Cardi B – ‘MotorSport’
DJ Khaled ft Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – ‘Wild Thoughts’

A Music in Africa article