NIGERIA: Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, Shallipopi, Others Nominated For 2025 BET Awards

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria 

Top-rated Nigerian artists have secured major nominations at the 2025 BET Awards, with Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, popularly known as Ayra Starr, leading as the most nominated African act.

The 21-year-old singer received three nominations, which includes: Best Female R&B Pop Artist, Best New Artist, and Best International Act.

Burna Boy and Rema were also nominated in the Best International Act category. Burna Boy has won this award four times in previous years.

Rising artist Shallipopi earned a nomination for Best New International Act, marking his debut on the global stage.

Tems, who previously won a Grammy, was nominated in the BET Her category for her songs “Burning ” and ” Hold On” from her debut album “Born In The Wild”.

The 2025 BET Awards will be held on June 9 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be broadcast live on BET.

American rapper Kendrick Lamar leads the nominations overall with 10, followed by Doechii, Drake, Future, and GloRilla.

The full list of nominees spans various categories, including music, film, and sports.

Some Key Nominees Include:

Best Female R\&B/Pop Artist: Ayra Starr, SZA, Victoria Monét, Summer Walker

Best Male R\&B/Pop Artist: Usher, The Weeknd, Drake

Best New Artist: Ayra Starr, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey

Best International Act: Ayra Starr, Rema, Black Sherif, Tyla

Best New International Act: Shallipopi, Abigail Chams, Maglera Doe Boy

BET Her: Tems (Burning, Hold On), Beyoncé (Blackbird), Mary J. Blige (Beautiful People)

Album of the Year: Cowboy Carter (Beyoncé), GNX (Kendrick Lamar), Glorious (GloRilla)

Best Movie: Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Piano Lesson

Best Actress: Zendaya, Viola Davis, Angela Bassett

Sportswoman of the Year: Sha’Carri Richardson, Coco Gauff, Simone Biles

Sportsman of the Year: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum

The BET Award is an annual American awards show established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network. It was created to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET.

The 25th BET Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2025, at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Comedian Kevin Hart will host the event, marking his second time as host since 2011.

The BET Awards feature various categories, including Album of the Year, Best Female R\&B/Pop Artist, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best New Artist, and Best International Act, among others.

Over the years, the BET Awards have become a significant platform for honouring Black excellence and culture, showcasing performances by prominent artists and acknowledging contributions across various entertainment sectors.