# BET Awards 2021

The 21st BET Awards took place on June 27, 2021. The ceremony celebrated achievements in entertainment and honors music, sports, television, and movies. The ceremony's theme was "Year of the Black Woman" and was held in-person with a vaccinated audience following the previous year's virtual ceremony.
The nominees were announced on May 27, 2021. DaBaby and Megan Thee Stallion received the most nominations with 7 each, ahead of Cardi B and Drake, who tied with five nominations each.
On June 14, it was announced that actress Taraji P. Henson would host the ceremony for the first time, and that musician and actress Queen Latifah would be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

## Performers

The list of performers was announced on June 17, and was said to be the largest in the ceremony's history.
| Artist(s) | Song(s) |
| Main show ||
| Lil Baby Kirk Franklin | "We Win" |
| Migos Cardi B | "Straightenin" "Type Shit" |
| H.E.R. | "We Made It" |
| Moneybagg Yo | "Wockesha" "Time Today" |
| DaBaby | "Ball If I Want To" |
| Megan Thee Stallion | "Thot Shit" |
| Tyler, the Creator | "Lumberjack" |
| Jazmine Sullivan Maxine Waters Ari Lennox | "Tragic" "On It" |
| Roddy Ricch | "Late at Night" |
| Lil Nas X | "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" |
| Silk Sonic | "Leave the Door Open" |
| City Girls | "Twerkulator" |
| Rapsody Monie Love Lil' Kim MC Lyte | Tribute to Queen Latifah: "Ladies First" "U.N.I.T.Y." |
| DJ Khaled Lil Durk Lil Baby Megan Thee Stallion H.E.R. DaBaby | "Hats Off" "Every Chance I Get" "I Did It" |
| Andra Day | "Strange Fruit" "Tigress & Tweed" |
| Method Man Westside Gunn Benny the Butcher Conway the Machine Michael K. Williams Swizz Beatz The Lox Busta Rhymes | Tribute to DMX: "Get at Me Dog" "Hood Blues" "Where the Hood At?" "X Gon' Give It to Ya" "Slippin'" "Let Me Fly" "Ruff Ryders' Anthem (Remix)" "Party Up (Up in Here)" "The Prayer IV" |
| BET Amplified Stage ||
| Tone Stith | "FWM" |
| Mereba | "Rider" |

## Winners and nominees

| Album of the Year | Video of the Year |
| Heaux Tales – Jazmine Sullivan After Hours – The Weeknd Blame It on Baby – DaBaby Good News – Megan Thee Stallion King's Disease – Nas Ungodly Hour – Chloe x Halle | Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion – "WAP" Cardi B – "Up" Chloe x Halle – "Do It" Chris Brown and Young Thug – "Go Crazy" Drake featuring Lil Durk– "Laugh Now Cry Later" Silk Sonic – "Leave the Door Open" |
| Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award | Best Collaboration |
| Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé – "Savage (Remix)" Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion – "WAP" Chris Brown and Young Thug – "Go Crazy" DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch – "Rockstar" DJ Khaled featuring Drake – "Popstar" Drake featuring Lil Durk– "Laugh Now Cry Later" Lil Baby – "The Bigger Picture" Silk Sonic – "Leave the Door Open" | Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion – "WAP" DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch – "Rockstar" DJ Khaled featuring Drake – "Popstar" Jack Harlow featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne – "Whats Poppin (Remix)" Megan Thee Stallion featuring DaBaby– "Cry Baby" Pop Smoke featuring Lil Baby and DaBaby – "For the Night" |
| Best Female R&B/Pop Artist | Best Male R&B/Pop Artist |
| H.E.R. Beyoncé Jazmine Sullivan Jhene Aiko Summer Walker SZA | Chris Brown 6lack Anderson .Paak Giveon Tank The Weeknd |
| Best Female Hip Hop Artist | Best Male Hip Hop Artist |
| Megan Thee Stallion Cardi B Coi Leray Doja Cat Latto Saweetie | Lil Baby DaBaby Drake J. Cole Jack Harlow Pop Smoke |
| Best Group | Best New Artist |
| Silk Sonic 21 Savage and Metro Boomin Chloe x Halle Chris Brown and Young Thug City Girls Migos | Giveon Coi Leray Flo Milli Jack Harlow Latto Pooh Shiesty |
| Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award | BET Her Award |
| Kirk Franklin – "Strong God" BeBe Winans – "In Jesus Name" CeCe Winans – "Never Lost" H.E.R. – "Hold Us Together" Marvin Sapp – "Thank You for It All" Tamela Mann – "Touch from You" | SZA – "Good Days" Alicia Keys featuring Khalid – "So Done" Brandy featuring Chance the Rapper – "Baby Mama" Bri Steves – "Anti Queen" Chloe x Halle – "Baby Girl" Ciara featuring Ester Dean – "Rooted" |
| Video Director of the Year | Best Movie |
| Bruno Mars and Florent Déchard Benny Boom Cole Bennett Colin Tilley Dave Meyers Hype Williams | Judas and the Black Messiah Coming 2 America Ma Rainey's Black Bottom One Night in Miami... Soul The United States vs. Billie Holiday |
| Best Actress | Best Actor |
| Andra Day Angela Bassett Issa Rae Jurnee Smollett Viola Davis Zendaya | Chadwick Boseman Aldis Hodge Damson Idris Daniel Kaluuya Eddie Murphy Lakeith Stanfield |
| YoungStars Award | Sportswoman of the Year |
| Marsai Martin Alex R. Hibbert Ethan Hutchison Lonnie Chavis Michael Epps Storm Reid | Naomi Osaka A'ja Wilson Candace Parker Claressa Shields Serena Williams Skylar Diggins-Smith |
| Sportsman of the Year | Best International Act |
| LeBron James Kyrie Irving Patrick Mahomes II Russell Westbrook Russell Wilson Stephen Curry | Burna Boy (Nigeria) Aya Nakamura (France) Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) Emicida (Brazil) Headie One (UK) Wizkid (Nigeria) Young T & Bugsey (UK) Youssoupha (France) |
| Best New International Act | Lifetime Achievement Award |
| Bree Runway (UK) Arlo Parks (UK) Bramsito (France) Elaine (South Africa) MC Dricka (Brazil) Ronisia (France) Tems (Nigeria) | Queen Latifah |

## In Memoriam

* Shock G
* Douglas Turner Ward
* Toots Hibbert
* Gale Sayers
* Thomas Jefferson Byrd
* Johnny Nash
* Anthony Chisolm
* MF Doom
* Bert Belasco
* Natalie Desselle Reid
* Carol Sutton
* Tommy Lister
* Charley Pride
* Whodini
* Joe Louis Clark
* Shabba Doo
* Eric Jerome Dickey
* Hank Aaron
* Cicely Tyson
* Leon Spinks
* Mary Wilson
* Vincent Jackson
* Bunny Wailer
* Reggie Warren
* Black Rob
* Paul Mooney
* Clarence Williams III
* Chadwick Boseman
* DMX