IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Doja Cat, Drake, Ari Lennox lead BET Awards nominations
LOS ANGELES » Doja Cat could make the BET Awards her world later this month.
The chart-topping performer scored six nominations at the show airing live on June 26 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Doja Cat is up for best female R&B-pop artist, best female hip-hop artist, album of the year for her No. 1 hit “Planet Her” and BET Her for “Woman.” Her “Kiss Me More” with SZA is nominated for video of the year and best collaboration.
Drake and Ari Lennox are the secondmost nominated acts, scoring four nods each. Three nominations went to several others including Baby Keem, Silk Sonic, Chloe Bailey, Future, H.E.R., Jazmine Sullivan, Ye (formerly known as Kanye West), Kendrick Lamar, Lil Baby, Mary J. Blige and Tems.
Actor Taraji P. Henson (“Empire’’) will host the BET Awards for a second consecutive year.
The winners in the 19 categories, including film and sports awards, will be selected by BET’s Voting Academy, comprised of entertainment professionals and fans.
Drake will battle Kendrick Lamar, Future, J. Cole, Jack Harlow, Ye and Lil Baby for best male hip-hop artist. Doja Cat will face off against Cardi B, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj and Saweetie for best female hip-hop artist.
WNBA star Brittney Griner, whose pretrial detention in Russia was recently extended by a one month, is nominated for sportswoman of the year. The two-time Olympic gold medalist — who plays for the Phoenix Mercury — was detained at a Moscow airport in February after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage. She faces drug smuggling charges that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.