Entertainment
BET Awards Nominations: Drake & Nicki Minaj Lead The Field

Drake has had a tumultuous month, engaging in an increasingly personal diss battle with Kendrick Larmar that has seemingly ended in his defeat, but Thursday (May 16) brought some good news: He leads the nominations for the 2024 BET Awards.
Drake received seven nods, followed closely by Nicki Minaj with six. J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and Victoria Monet each have five nominations. 21 Savage, Beyounce, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla and Usher each have four.
The 2024 BET Awards, which bills itself Culture’s Biggest Night, will air live from Los Angeles on BET on Sunday, June 30, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year’s theme is Standing on Culture.
BET also announced the first artists confirmed to perform on the show: GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey and Victoria Monét.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is in its third week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em,” which headed that chart for 10 weeks immediately preceding Shaboozey’s smash, is nominated for the Viewer’s Choice Award. So, as genre walls blur, a performer and a nominee on the BET Awards could find themselves nominated for CMA Awards later this year.
Monét’s Jaguar II, which won a Grammy in February for best R&B album, and Killer Mike’s Michael, which won a Grammy for best rap album, are among the BET nominees for album of the year, along with Chris Brown’s 11:11, Gunna’s A Gift & A Curse, 21 Savage’s American Dream, Usher’s Coming Home, Drake’s For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition) and Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2.
Monét’s “On My Mama,” which was Grammy-nominated for record of the year, is nominated here for the Viewer’s Choice Award. Other nominees in that category include two tracks that won Grammys in February – Lil Durk featuring J. Cole’s “All My Life,” which won best melodic rap performance; and Tyla’s “Water,” which won the inaugural award for best African music performance.
Drake and Burna Boy are both nominated for BET Awards for both best male R&B/pop artist and best male hip-hop artist. Doja Cat is nominated in the equivalent categories for female artists, a sign of all three artists’ broad appeal.
A musical biopic, Bob Marley: One Love, and a concert film, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, are among the nominees for best movie.
Blue Ivy Carter, the 12-year old daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, is nominated for the YoungStars Award.
Halle Bailey is nominated for best actress and also for the Dr. Bobby Jones best gospel/inspirational award for “Angel.”
Nominations were determined by the BET Voting Academy, which is comprised of entertainment professionals and influencers in the fields of music, media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations and creative arts.
Voting for the BET Awards’ 2024 Viewer’s Choice Award begins June 6 and ends June 30.
Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, will oversee and executive produce the annual show, with Jamal Noisette, SVP, tentpoles & music community engagement to co-executive produce for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.
Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2024 BET Awards:
Album of the year
Chris Brown, 11:11
Gunna, A Gift & A Curse
21 Savage, American Dream
Usher, Coming Home
Drake, For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)
Victoria Monét, Jaguar II
Killer Mike, Michael
Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2
Best female R&B/pop artist
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
Doja Cat
H.E.R.
Muni Long
SZA
Tyla
Victoria Monét
Best male R&B/pop artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bryson Tiller
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Drake
Fridayy
October London
Usher
Best group
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign
2 Chainz & Lil Wayne
41
Blxst & Bino Rideaux
City Girls
Flo
Maverick City Music
Wanmor
Best collaboration
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, “America Has a Problem (Remix)”
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”
¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid, Playboi Carti, “Carnival”
Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami, “Don’t Play With It (Remix)”
Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert, “Everybody”
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Best female hip-hop artist
Cardi B
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Ice Spice
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Sexyy Red
Best male hip-hop artist
21 Savage
Burna Boy
Drake
Future
Gunna
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Wayne
Best new artist
41
4Batz
Ayra Starr
Bossman Dlow
Fridayy
October London
Sexyy Red
Tyla
Video of the year
Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”
Lil Durk feat J. Cole, “All My Life”
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”
Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”
Drake feat. J. Cole, “First Person Shooter”
Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Video director of the year
Benny Boom
Child.
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Janelle Monáe & Alan Ferguson
Offset
Tems
Tyler, The Creator
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
Shirley Caesar, “Award All of the Glory”
Kirk Franklin, “All Things”
Halle Bailey, “Angel”
CeCe Winans, “Come Jesus Come”
Erica Campbell, Do You Believe in Love?”
Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore, “God Problems”
Tems, “Me & U”
Kirk Franklin, “Try Love”
Viewer’s choice award
Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”
Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”
Gunna, “Fukumean”
Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”
Muni Long, “Made for Me”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”
Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay, “Sensational”
Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ‘Em”
Tyla, “Water”
Best international act
Asake (Africa)
Aya Nakamura (France)
Ayra Starr (Africa)
Bk’ (Brazil)
Cleo Sol (UK)
Focalistic (Africa)
Karol Conká (Brazil)
Raye (UK)
Tiakola (France)
Tyla (Africa)
Viewer’s choice: best new international act
Bellah (UK)
Cristale (UK)
Duquesa (Brazil)
Holly G (France)
Jungeli (France)
Makhadzi (Africa)
Oruam (Brazil)
Seyi Vibez (Africa)
Tyler Icu (Africa)
BET Her
Beyoncé, “16 Carriages”
Nicki Minaj feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard, “Blessings”
Ayra Starr, “Commas”
Flo feat. Missy Elliott, “Fly Girl”
Megan Thee Stallion, “Hiss”
Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”
SZA, “Saturn”
GloRilla, “Yeah Glo!”
Best movie
American Fiction
Bob Marley: One Love
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The Book of Clarence
The Color Purple
The Equalizer 3
The Little Mermaid
Best actor
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Denzel Washington
Donald Glover
Idris Elba
Jeffrey Wright
Lakeith Stanfield
Best actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Coco Jones
Danielle Brooks
Fantasia
Halle Bailey
Issa Rae
Regina King
YoungStars Award
Akira Akbar
Blue Ivy Carter
Demi Singleton
Heiress Diana Harris
Jabria McCullum
Jalyn Hall
Leah Jeffries
Van Van
Sportswoman of the Year Award
A’ja Wilson
Angel Reese
Coco Gauff
Flau’jae Johnson
Juju Watkins
Naomi Osaka
Sha’carri Richardson
Simone Biles
Sportsman of the Year Award
Anthony Edwards
Gervonta Davis
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Hurts
Kyrie Irving
Lebron James
Patrick Mahomes
Stephen Curry
Entertainment
Gen Z Slang: Bet, Simp, Glow Up and More
I’m Dead: When something’s really funny, Gen Z won’t just say “lol.” They’ll say “I’m dead,” meaning something is so funny it killed them with laughter, rather than just typing “lol.”

image credit : howstuffworks
Language evolves, and Gen Z — born between the 1997 and 2012 — has introduced an entire dictionary of expressive, clever, and sometimes confusing slang.
These Gen Z slang terms dominate social media platforms, group chats, and online video game lobbies.
Here’s a breakdown of the phrases you’ll hear from this generation.
- 1. No Cap: Used to express truth, “no cap” means someone is being honest or serious. If you say, “This new song is fire, no cap,” you’re saying the song is great (fire) and you truly believe it.
- 2. Bet
- Bet is a casual way of saying “OK” or “I’m down.” It’s a quick response that shows agreement or enthusiasm. You might use it instead of “sure thing” in real life or online.
- 3. Simp
- Originating in Black American hip-hop slang, simp became a derogatory term for a man perceived as overly subservient to a woman in the hope of winning her affection. Saying, “You’re such a simp,” carries negative connotations, especially in a romantic relationship context.
- 4. Main Character
- To describe someone as the “main character” is to say they carry themselves like the star of a movie. It’s both a compliment and a slight knock, depending on tone — often used in social media captions and stories.
- 5. Glow Up
- A “glow up” refers to a transformation — usually physical or stylistic — that makes someone look or feel better than before. This phrase is a great example of Gen Z’s thirst for self-improvement and style.
- 6.Cringe
- Cringe is used to describe anything awkward, embarrassing, or trying too hard. If your Baby Boomer uncle uses Gen Z slang words unironically, that might earn a “yikes” or a full-on “big yikes” from the group.
- 7. Touch Grass
- A favorite insult among Gen Z, to tell someone to touch grass means they’re online too much and need to get back to real life. It’s a witty way to say “log off and go outside.”
- 8. Vibe Check
- “Vibe check” is all about gauging someone’s mood or the feel of a space. Passed the vibe check? You’re cool. Failed it? Time to reassess your energy.
- 9. Whole Meal
- Calling someone a whole meal is a step beyond calling them attractive. It’s a bold phrase used to express approval or attraction: “She’s not just cute, she’s a whole meal.
- 10. I’m Dead
- When something’s really funny, Gen Z won’t just say “lol.” They’ll say “I’m dead,” meaning something is so funny it killed them with laughter, rather than just typing “lol.”
- In other words, this is the Gen Z equivalent of using a crying-laughing emoji to show something is hilarious. It shows they’re expressing excitement and humor in a big way.
- Source: HowStuffWorks
Entertainment
NFVCB June Films top by ROK Studios, Silverbird Distribution, and OSSYKing Movies
62 films were rated 15, thirteen movies got an age 12- rating, 3 films were marked ‘G’ for general viewing and two of the movies were classified PG (Parental Guidance).

• Nollywood films cast
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) approved a total of 151 films for the month of June 2025 against 53 films earlier reported erroneously.
The approval also revealed the growing consistency of top production houses like ROK Studios, Silverbird Distribution, and OSSYKing Movies, which featured prominently in this month’s listings.
Breakdown of classifications from the Censors Board website shows that 71 were classified as rated-18 years, out of the 151 films approved.
62 films were rated 15, thirteen movies got an age 12- rating, 3 films were marked ‘G’ for general viewing and two of the movies were classified PG (Parental Guidance).
This classification points to a growing shift toward mature, emotionally complex storytelling, with 18-rated titles accounting for nearly half of the approved films.
This classification underscores a noticeable dominance of 18-rated titles and English-language productions.
It also reflects the increasing pace of local film production across regions and genres.
English-language productions accounted for the bulk of the approvals, continuing their stronghold as Nollywood’s dominant medium.
However, a fair share of Yoruba and Igbo titles also made the list, reaffirming the role of indigenous voices in the cinematic landscape.
Notably approved indigenous-language films include Obim (Igbo), Iyawo Eniyan and Ajegunle Lawa (Yoruba) and Itene (Idoma).
There was no hausa-language films approved during the month, marking a recurring gap in representation from the North.However, Itene produced in Idoma, was one of the few from the Middle Belt.Among studios with multiple entries include ROK Studios had a strong presence with films like Perfect Wife, Strings of Love, Hidden Truth and My Sugar Daddy, primarily rated 15 and 18.Silverbird Distribution secured approvals for Rebirth of King Kong and Jurassic World Rebirth, both notable for their international appeal.
OSSYKing Movies had a consistent output with Stray Bullet, Palace of Torment, and The Cost of a Lie, all within the 15–18 range.
The Executive Director of the NFVCB, Dr. Shaibu Husseini reaffirmed the Board’s stance on guiding responsible storytelling and content regulation.
“We are committed to encouraging stories that reflect Nigeria’s values and cultural richness while ensuring public safety through proper classification,” he said.
Entertainment
2Baba Marries Natasha In Private Wedding Ceremony
2Baba’s wedding to Natasha Osawaru marks a significant shift in his personal life, garnering both support and criticism from fans.

Popular Nigerian musician, Innocent Idibia known popularly as Tubaba has married his new lover, Natasha Osawaru at a private wedding ceremony, in Abuja.
Leadership newspaper reports that the low-key event was attended by close family members, with videos circulating online showing the couple posing with their traditional wedding cake.
Recall that this development comes months after 2Face engaged the serving Edo State lawmaker in February 2025, just days after publicly announcing his separation from his wife, Annie Macaulay Idibia.
The marriage has since sparked widespread conversation on social media, with many fans expressing mixed reactions to the singer’s latest move.
2Baba’s wedding to Natasha Osawaru marks a significant shift in his personal life, garnering both support and criticism from fans.
Congratulations to 2Baba and Natasha as they tie the nuptial knot.
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