Winners at the 2020 "Soul Train Awards" Announced; Chris Brown Leads with Four Wins

Chris Brown Wins Big at the 2020 “Soul Train Awards” Hosted by Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold

Young Thug and H.E.R. Also Bring Home Top Honors

The Award Show Featured Performances by Lady of Soul Honoree Monica, Brandy, Ella Mai, Jazmine Sullivan, Snoh Aalegra and CeeLo Green With Duets by Charlie Wilson & Smokey Robinson and Lucky Daye & Babyface

#SOULTRAINAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2020 “Soul Train Awards” celebrated the best in soul, R&B and hip hop by highlighting both living legends and breakout stars with unrivaled musical moments and show-stopping performances. The awards show, which aired the evening of Sunday, November 29, 2020 at 8 PM EST on BET, BET Her, VH1 and MTV2 was hosted by the iconic best friend duo Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold, who also brought their chemistry to the stage as the show’s opening musical acts.

Chris Brown led the pack as the evening’s most awarded artist, dominating in four categories including Best R&B/Soul Male Artist and the shared honors of Song of the Year, Best Dance Performance and Best Collaboration with Young Thug for their hit “Go Crazy.” H.E.R. followed closely with two awards: Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award for “I Can’t Breathe.

Honoring artists across 12 categories, the 2020 “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” also recognized Summer Walker (Album of the Year), Megan Thee Stallion (Rhythm & Beats Award), Brandy (Soul Train Certified), Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn & Wizkid (Video of the Year), Snoh Aalegra (Best New Artist) and Kirk Franklin (Best Gospel/Inspirational Award) for their special contributions to the genre.

The hosts kicked things off with an electrifying song and dance tribute to the power of Black women. Brandy performed a medley of her recent hits “Say Something” and “Boderline.” Ella Mai sang her latest single “Not Another Love Song.” Lucky Daye shut the stage down with Babyface for a performance of their new collaboration “Shoulda.” Charlie Wilson performed a duet with Smokey Robinson before honoring the memory of gospel legend Rance Allen with a rousing tribute. Additional performers included Jazmine Sullivan, Snoh Aalegra and CeeLo Green. After accepting the Lady of Soul Award, Monica brought down the house with a jam-packed performance of her chart-topping hits.

In addition to electrifying performances, this year’s highly anticipated Soul Cypher featured R&B stars PJ Morton, Chanté Moore, Shanice and Stokely. Ella Nicole and Moses Sumney took the BET Amplified Music Stage, a platform for emerging artists. Presenters included Andra Day, Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Deon Cole, Nicco Annan, Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and Brandee Evans.

The full winners list for 2020 “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” is below:

2020 “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” WINNERS:
Best New Artist – Snoh Aalegra
Soul Train Certified Award –Brandy
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist – Chris Brown
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist – H.E.R.
Video of the Year – Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn & Wizkid “Brown Skin Girl”
Best Gospel/Inspirational Award – Kirk Franklin
Album of the Year – Summer Walker “Over It”
Rhythm & Bars Award – Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
Song of the Year – Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award – “I Can’t Breathe,” Written by H.E.R.
Best Dance Performance – Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Best Collaboration Performance – Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”

Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE), and JCE’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon will Executive Produce the 2020 “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS.”

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for 2020 “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS.”


ABOUT BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company and has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE has a multi-year overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks. On the theatrical film side, the company also has a first look on JCE’s film development projects which could include Viacom’s film entities such as Paramount Players. The award-winning and critically acclaimed television that JCE has produced includes miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story; scripted series—American Soul and Real Husbands of Hollywood; children’s series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices; award shows—BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, BET Hip Hop Awards, ABFF Honors and Soul Train Awards; specials—John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales I Be Knowin’, Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine; as well as competition/game shows—Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares, Nashville Squares and Rhythm & Flow. Jesse Collins, founder & CEO of the company, is the executive producer of all programming and is also a producer for the iconic Grammy Awards. He will next executive produce The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. Go to jessecollinsent.com for more information on the company.

ABOUT SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS:
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

Follow us @BET_PR

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Nominations for "2020 Soul Train Awards" Announced; Tisha Campbell & Tichina Arnold to Host

Tisha Campbell & Tichina Arnold Return as Third Time Hosts of the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” Presented by BET Airing Sunday, November 29th, 2020 at 8 PM EST

H.E.R. Leads With 8 Nominations, Followed by Chris Brown With 7 Nods, Beyoncé and Young Thug Round It out With 6 Noms Each

#SOULTRAINAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announces the hosts and nominees for the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” across 12 different categories. The annual celebration recognizes the best in Soul, R&B and Hip Hop from both established industry legends and the next generation of promising artists. Taking place on Sunday, November 29th, 2020 the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” PRESENTED BY BET will simulcast on BET, BET Her, VH1 and MTV2 at 8 PM EST with a one-hour pre-show beginning at 7 PM EST, followed by the broadcast television debut of DJ Cassidy’s groundbreaking virtual series “Pass the Mic.”

Actor, singer and writer Tisha Campbell (“Martin,” “My Wife & Kids,” “Last Man Standing,” “Outmatched”) will once again join actor, singer, and writer Tichina Arnold (“Martin,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Neighborhood,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”) as host and co-producers of this year’s awards. The iconic best friend duo, both on the 90’s hit show “Martin” and in real-life, will return to the “SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” stage for the third time, bringing their dynamic comedy and infectious personalities to this year’s ceremony.

H.E.R. leads the nominees for this year’s awards, receiving eight nominations including ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist’ and double nods in each of the ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award,’ ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Video of the Year’ categories. She is followed by Chris Brown, who received seven nominations including ‘Album/Mixtape of the Year,’ ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best Dance Performance,’ ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Video of the Year’ for the hit single “Go Crazy” with Young Thug.

Beyoncé and Young Thug received six nominations, including ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Video of the Year.’ Other top nominees include Chloe x Halle, Summer Walker and Usher with five nods each, followed by YG with four nominations. Brandy and PJ Morton round out the group with three nods apiece.

The “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” PRESENTED BY BET will feature an exciting lineup of unforgettable performances including special moments and appearances by some of the brightest stars in Black culture and entertainment. The annual event is committed to showcasing Soul Train’s impact on arts of music and dance from the 70’s to today.

Directly following the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS,” DJ Cassidy will present the broadcast television premiere of his hit virtual series “Pass the Mic”, on BET. The special will be a celebration of the most definitive, iconic and prolific R&B classics of the 1980’s. “DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic: BET Soul Train Edition” brings legendary, musical heroes to the comfort of audience’s living rooms around the world to dance hard, sing loud, and smile big.

Internationally, the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” PRESENTED BY BET will simulcast on BET Africa on November 29, 2020, at 3:00AM CAT; BET France on December 1, 2020 at 9:50PM CET; and BET UK and BET South Korea on December 2, 2020 at 9:00PM GMT and 9:00PM KST, respectively.

Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE), and JCE’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon will Executive Produce the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS.”

The complete list of nominees for the “2020 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS” PRESENTED BY BET:

BEST NEW ARTIST
GIVEON
LAYTON GREENE
LONR.
SAINT JHN
SNOH AALEGRA
VICTORIA MONÉT

SOUL TRAIN CERTIFIED AWARD
BRANDY
FANTASIA
KELLY ROWLAND
LEDISI
MONICA
PJ MORTON

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
ALICIA KEYS
BEYONCÉ
BRANDY
H.E.R.
JHENÉ AIKO
SUMMER WALKER

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHARLIE WILSON
CHRIS BROWN
PJ MORTON
THE WEEKND
USHER

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
BEBE WINANS
KIRK FRANKLIN
KORYN HAWTHORNE
MARVIN SAPP
PJ MORTON
THE CLARK SISTERS

RHYTHM & BARS
CARDI B FEAT. MEGAN THEE STALLION - WAP
DABABY FEAT. RODDY RICCH - ROCKSTAR
DJ KHALED FEAT. DRAKE - POPSTAR
DRAKE FEAT. LIL DURK – LAUGH NOW CRY LATER
MEGAN THEE STALLION - SAVAGE
RODDY RICCH – THE BOX

SONG OF THE YEAR
BEYONCÉ - BLACK PARADE
CHLOE X HALLE - DO IT
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG - GO CRAZY
H.E.R. FEAT. YG - SLIDE
SUMMER WALKER & USHER - COME THRU
USHER FEAT. ELLA MAI – DON’T WASTE MY TIME

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
BRANDY - B7
CHLOE X HALLE - UNGODLY HOUR
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG - SLIME & B
JHENÉ AIKO - CHILOMBO
SUMMER WALKER - OVER IT
THE WEEKND - AFTER HOURS

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER’S AWARD

• BLACK PARADE – WRITTEN BY: AKIL KING, BEYONCÉ KNOWLES CARTER, BRITTANY CONEY, DENISIA ANDREWS, DEREK JAMES DIXIE, KIM “KAYDENCE” KRYSIUK, RICKIE CASO TICE, SHAWN CARTER, STEPHEN BRAY (BEYONCÉ)
• DO IT – WRITTEN BY: CHLOE BAILEY, HALLE BAILEY, SCOTT STORCH, VICTORIA MONÉT, VINCENT VAN DEN ENDE, ANTON KUHL (CHLOE X HALLE)
• GO CRAZY – WRITTEN BY: CAMERON DEVAUN MURPHY, CHRISTOPHER BROWN, DOUNIA AZNOU, JEFFREY LAMAR WILLIAMS, JOHNNY KELVIN, KANIEL CASTANEDA, OMARI AKINLOLU, ORVILLE HALL, PATRIZIO PIGLIAPOCO, PHILLIP PRICE, SAID AZNOU, SORAYA BENJELLOUN, TRÈ SAMUELS, TURRELL SIMS, WAYNE SAMUELS, ZAKARIA KHARBOUCH (CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG)
• I CAN’T BREATHE – WRITTEN BY: H.E.R. (H.E.R.)
• PLAYING GAMES – WRITTEN BY: SUMMER WALKER, BRYSON TILLER, LONDON HOLMES, KENDALL ROARK BAILEY, CAMERON GRIFFIN, AUBREY ROBINSON, BEYONCÉ KNOWLES, KELENDRIA ROWLAND, LETOYA LUCKETT, LATAVIA ROBERSON, LASHAWN DANIELS, FRED JERKINS III, RODNEY JERKINS (SUMMER WALKER FEAT. BRYSON TILLER)
• SLIDE – WRITTEN BY: CHARLES CARTER, ELIJAH DIAS, H.E.R., JERMAINE DUPRI, KEENON DAEQUAN RAY JACKSON, ROGER PARKER, RON LATOUR, SHAWN CARTER, STEVEN ARRINGTON, TIARA THOMAS, WAUNG HANKERSON (H.E.R. FEAT. YG)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
BEYONCÉ, SHATTA WALE & MAJOR LAZER - ALREADY
CHLOE X HALLE - DO IT
CHRIS BROWN & YOUNG THUG - GO CRAZY
DANILEIGH FEAT. DABABY - LEVI HIGH
MISSY ELLIOTT - WHY I STILL LOVE YOU
TEYANA TAYLOR - BARE WIT ME

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FEAT. YOUNG THUG - GO CRAZY
H.E.R. FEAT. YG - SLIDE
NE-YO FEAT. JEREMIH - U 2 LUV
SKIP MARLEY & H.E.R. - SLOW DOWN
SUMMER WALKER & USHER - COME THRU
USHER FEAT. ELLA MAI - DON’T WASTE MY TIME

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BEYONCÉ, BLUE IVY, SAINT JHN & WIZKID - BROWN SKIN GIRL
CHLOE X HALLE - DO IT
CHRIS BROWN - GO CRAZY FEAT. YOUNG THUG
H.E.R. - SLIDE FEAT. YG
LIZZO - GOOD AS HELL
SKIP MARLEY & H.E.R. - SLOW DOWN


ABOUT BET:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company and has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE has a multi-year overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks. On the theatrical film side, the company also has a first look on JCE’s film development projects which could include Viacom’s film entities such as Paramount Players. The award-winning and critically acclaimed television that JCE has produced includes miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story; scripted series—American Soul and Real Husbands of Hollywood; children’s series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices; award shows—BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, BET Hip Hop Awards, ABFF Honors and Soul Train Awards; specials—John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales I Be Knowin’, Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine; as well as competition/game shows—Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares, Nashville Squares and Rhythm & Flow. Jesse Collins, founder & CEO of the company, is the executive producer of all programming and is also a producer for the iconic Grammy Awards. He will next executive produce The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show. Go to jessecollinsent.com for more information on the company.

ABOUT SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS:
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

Follow us @BET_PR 

-------------------------

 

Winners at The "BET Awards" 2020 Announced

Lizzo, Chris Brown, Migos, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael B. Jordan, Issa Rae, and "Queen & Slim" Take Top Honors at the “BET Awards” 2020

THE “BET AWARDS” 2020 OPENED WITH A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC ENEMY’S “FIGHT THE POWER” FEATURING CHUCK D, FLAVOR FLAV, NAS, BLACK THOUGHT, RAPSODY, QUESTLOVE, JAHI AND YG

BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER HONORED WITH HUMANITARIAN AWARD

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR LIL WAYNE HONORED THE MEMORY OF NBA LEGEND KOBE BRYANT WITH A MOVING TRIBUTE

ROCK AND ROLL HALL-OF-FAMER LITTLE RICHARD REMEMBERED WITH TRIBUTE FROM MULTI-TALENTED ACTOR/COMEDIAN WAYNE BRADY

ALICIA KEYS, CHLOE X HALLE, DABABY, D SMOKE, JENNIFER HUDSON, JOHN LEGEND, JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, KANE BROWN, LIL WAYNE, LONR., MASEGO, MEGAN THEE STALLION, RODDY RICCH,  SIR, SUMMER WALKER, USHER, WAYNE BRADY AND MORE DELIVERED EXTRAORDINARY, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PERFORMANCES

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET honored an incredible and inspiring lineup of artists, entertainers, cultural icons and humanitarians across more than 20 categories at The “BET AWARDS” 2020. The show, hosted by actress and comedian Amanda Seales, aired live at 8 pm ET/7 pm CT across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and made its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020. 2020 marks both the 20th anniversary of the awards and BET’s 40th anniversary. This year’s show highlighted the absolute best in entertainment, social justice and culture with moving performances and appearances by some of the biggest names across television, film, and music; spreading an important message of hope and change.

The “BET AWARDS,” which has become synonymous with powerful artistry and social commentary, continues to spotlight and celebrate the artists and creators of tomorrow, making the ceremony one of the most news-provoking and talked-about broadcasts year after year.

This year’s awards used an array of innovative techniques, including stunning and dynamic artist-generated performances and packages, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the important and inspirational messages of Black Lives Matter and the urgent need for racial equality. The ceremony was an extraordinary celebration of black culture, love, joy, and pride, setting a new bar for awards shows produced during the ongoing pandemic.

The “BET AWARDS” 2020 Show Highlights Include:

• Chuck D, Nas, Black Thought, Rapsody, Flavor Flav, Questlove, Jahi, YG opened the show with an amazing performance of their song “Fight the Power.”
• Anderson .Paak and Jay Rock followed, delivering a powerful and emotional rendition of the newly released song “Lockdown.” The song, which debuted this past Juneteenth, paints a detailed picture of the recent Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the tragic killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
• Megan Thee Stallion performed her new single “Girls In the Hood” along with her hit song “Savage.” The remix of the song featuring Beyoncé became Megan’s highest-charting song, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Lil Wayne and Wayne Brady delivered emotional tributes to Kobe Bryant and Little Richard respectively. Brady sang renditions of Little Richard’s popular songs including “Lucille,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti.”
• DaBaby and Roddy Ricch brought the house down during their performance of hit song “Rockstar,” which spent two weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was released as the second single of DaBaby’s third studio album “Blame It On Baby.”
• R&B sweetheart Summer Walker and pop icon Usher sang their hearts out while performing multiple songs including “Session 32" "Come Thru" / "You Make Me Wanna.”
• Jonathan McReynolds and Kane Brown took us all to church during their renditions of popular gospel songs "People" and "Worldwide Beautiful."
• Legendary gospel titans Kierra and Karen Clark Sheard of the iconic Clark Sisters delivered a power-packed rendition of the new song “Something Has to Break” from Kierra’s newly released sixth album “Kierra,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums.
• Introduced by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter accepted the Humanitarian Award for her years of her philanthropic service. Her heartfelt speech urged viewers to continue to fight against systemic racism by voting.

In addition to all of these must-see moments, the complete list of winners for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 can be found below:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
LIZZO

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
CHRIS BROWN

BEST GROUP
MIGOS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - “NO GUIDANCE”

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
MEGAN THEE STALLION

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - “HIGHER”

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
KIRK FRANKLIN - “JUST FOR ME”

BEST ACTRESS
ISSA RAE

BEST ACTOR
MICHAEL B. JORDAN

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
MARSAI MARTIN

BEST MOVIE
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
LEBRON JAMES

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL (RODDY RICCH)

BET HER AWARD
BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN “BROWN SKIN GIRL”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

Internationally, the show simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9 pm BST, France on June 30th at 8:45 pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9 pm KST.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”:
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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The "BET Awards" 2020 Nominations Have Been Announced

BET Announces Official Nominations for The “BET Awards” 2020

CBS Joins as Broadcast Partner to Simulcast The “BET Awards” 2020 Set to Air on Sunday, June 28, 2020 From 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT

Drake Leads With Six Nominations

Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch Follow With Five Nominations

Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo and DaBaby Tie With Four Nominations Each

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET announced The “BET Awards” 2020 nominees with Drake leading the pack with six nominations. This year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and black excellence across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. The “BET AWARDS” 2020 will simulcast LIVE at 8 pm ET across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and will make its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28, 2020 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT, 7:00-10:00 PM, CT).

Drake returns to the top spot securing six nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and two nods for both ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice’ for his features alongside Chris Brown ( No Guidance) and Future (Life Is Good).

Newcomers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Megan Thee Stallion nominations include ‘Best Female Hip Hop,’ ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Roddy Ricch’s nods include ‘Best Male Hip Hop,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Best New Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo, and DaBaby are the third-highest with four nominations each.

In its twentieth year, the “BET AWARDS” continues its reign as the ultimate platform to showcase the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change. BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The “BET Awards” 2020 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.

Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9pm BST, France on June 30th at 9:45pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9pm KST.

The complete list of nominees for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 are:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
H.E.R.
JHENE AIKO
KEHLANI
SUMMER WALKER

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
ANDERSON .PAAK
CHRIS BROWN
JACQUEES
KHALID
THE WEEKND
USHER

BEST GROUP
CHLOE X HALLE
CITY GIRLS
EARTHGANG
GRISELDA
JACKBOYS

BEST COLLABORATION
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

H.E.R. FT. YG - SLIDE

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

WALE FT. JEREMIH - ON CHILL

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DABABY
DRAKE
FUTURE
LIL BABY
RODDY RICCH
TRAVIS SCOTT

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
CARDI B
DOJA CAT
LIZZO
MEGAN THEE STALLION
NICKI MINAJ
SAWEETIE

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

DJ KHALED FT. NIPSEY HUSSLE & JOHN LEGEND - HIGHER

DOJA CAT - SAY SO

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
COLE BENNETT
DAVE MEYERS
DIRECTOR X
EIF RIVERA
TEYANA "SPIKE TEE" TAYLOR

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANILEIGH
LIL NAS X
POP SMOKE
RODDY RICCH
SUMMER WALKER
YBN CORDAE

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
CUZ I LOVE YOU - LIZZO

FEVER - MEGAN THEE STALLION

HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM - BEYONCÉ

I USED TO KNOW HER - H.E.R.

KIRK - DABABY

PLEASE EXCUSE ME FOR BEING ANTISOCIAL -RODDY RICCH

DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
FRED HAMMOND - ALRIGHT

JOHN P. KEE FT. ZACARDI CORTEZ - I MADE IT OUT

KANYE WEST - FOLLOW GOD

KIRK FRANKLIN - JUST FOR ME

PJ MORTON FT. LE'ANDRIA JOHNSON & MARY MARY- ALL IN HIS PLAN

THE CLARK SISTERS - VICTORY

BEST ACTRESS
ANGELA BASSETT
CYNTHIA ERIVO
ISSA RAE
REGINA KING
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
ZENDAYA

BEST ACTOR
BILLY PORTER
EDDIE MURPHY
FOREST WHITAKER
JAMIE FOXX
MICHAEL B. JORDAN
OMARI HARDWICK

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
ALEX HIBBERT
ASANTE BLACKK
JAHI DI’ALLO WINSTON
MARSAI MARTIN
MILES BROWN
STORM REID

BEST MOVIE
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME
HARRIET
HOMECOMING: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ
JUST MERCY
QUEEN & SLIM

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
AJEÉ WILSON
CLARESSA SHIELDS
COCO GAUFF
NAOMI OSAKA
SERENA WILLIAMS
SIMONE BILES

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO
KAWHI LEONARD
LEBRON JAMES
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
PATRICK MAHOMES II
STEPHEN CURRY

BET HER AWARD
ALICIA KEYS - UNDERDOG

BEYONCÉ FT. BLUE IVY CARTER, WIZKID & SAINT JHN - BROWN SKIN GIRL

CIARA FT. LUPITA NYONG'O, ESTER DEAN, CITY GIRLS & LA LA - MELANIN

LAYTON GREENE - I CHOOSE

LIZZO FT. MISSY ELLIOT - TEMPO

RAPSODY FT. PJ MORTON - AFENI

VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
CHRIS BROWN FT. DRAKE - NO GUIDANCE

DABABY - BOP

FUTURE FT. DRAKE - LIFE IS GOOD

MEGAN THEE STALLION FT. NICKI MINAJ & TY DOLLA $IGN - HOT GIRL SUMMER

RODDY RICCH - THE BOX

THE WEEKND - HEARTLESS

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
BURNA BOY (NIGERIA)
INNOSS’B (DRC)
SHO MADJOZI (S. AFRICA)
DAVE (U.K.)
STORMZY (U.K.)
NINHO (FRANCE)
S.PRI NOIR (FRANCE)

VIEWERS’ CHOICE: BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
REMA (NIGERIA)
SHA SHA (ZIMBABWE)
CELESTE (U.K.)
YOUNG T & BUGSEY (U.K.)
HATIK (FRANCE)
STACY (FRANCE)

Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.

For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow @BET_PR AND @BETAWARD

------------------------

2018 Soul Train Awards Nominees - Full List; Winners Announced Nov. 25th

BET Announces Official Nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards:
H.E.R. and Bruno Mars Lead with 6 Nominations Followed by SZA, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B

Iconic Best Friend Duo Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold to Host Annual Awards Taping at the Orleans Theater in Las Vegas on November 17th

4-Time Grammy Award Winning Songstress Erykah Badu to Receive the Legend Award

Multi-Platinum Songstress Faith Evans to Be Honored with Lady of Soul Award

Soul Train Awards 2018 Premieres on BET and BET HER, November 25th at 8PM ET

#SOULTRAINAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks announced the nominees for the 2018 Soul Train Awards across 12 different categories. The annual celebration will recognize the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop from legends to the next generation. Filming on November 17th at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, BET presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will air on BET and BET HER on November 25th, 2018 at 8PM ET.

2018 breakout star, H.E.R. ties with last year’s top winner, Bruno Mars, for the most nods, leading the nominations with six each. H.E.R.’s nominations include ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best R&B/Soul Female Artist,’ ‘Album/Mixtape of the Year,’ ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award.’ Bruno’s nominations include ‘Best R&B/Soul Male,’ ‘Song of the Year, ‘Best Dance Performance, ‘Best Collaboration Performance,’ ‘The Ashford and Simpson Songwriters Award’ ‘Video of the Year,’ for “Finesse.”

Other nominees include SZA who garnered 5 nods, Ella Mai, Daniel Caesar, and Cardi B each garnered 4 nods for this year’s awards.

Known for being the iconic best friend duo on the 90’s hit show Martin, real life best friends Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold are sure to bring the fun at this year’s awards.

Four-time Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter, artist, director/producer, holistic healer, activist, and mother Erykah Badu, is set to receive the Legend Award. No stranger to the Soul Train Awards stage, serving as the 2017 host of the awards, Badu’s career has roots deeply planted in soul. The New York Times described Badu’s groundbreaking debut, 1997’s “Baduizm,” as “traditional soul vocals, staccato hip-hop rhythms and laid-back jazzy grooves.” Yet, hindsight reveals that Badu’s debut was more than just an album, it was the introduction of a new lifestyle. In her career spanning over two decades, Badu has continued to use her platform as an altar. By incorporating instruments such as tuning forks, crystal singing bowls, and gem stones and more into her music, she has created a wave of healing energy throughout the planet. But her true instrument is the 'intent' with which she sings.

The fourth annual Lady of Soul Award will be presented to multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and record producer Faith Evans. With a music career spanning over two decades, Faith has released eight studio albums, with over 18 million albums sold and spawning over 30 singles. Faith has also performed on 20+ soundtracks and a host of guest appearances during her career. Faith Evans is a seven-time Grammy nominee; winning “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1998 for “I’ll Be Missing You,” an homage to her late husband and hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards will feature an exciting lineup of unforgettable performances and viewers can expect special appearances by some of the brightest stars in entertainment. The event annually showcases Soul Train’s impact on the history of music and dance from the 70s to today.

BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Executive Producers of the network telecast are as follows: Connie Orlando from BET and Jesse Collins from Jesse Collins Entertainment.

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards.

The complete list of nominees for BET Presents: 2018 Soul Train Awards are:

BEST NEW ARTIST
DANIEL CAESAR
JORJA SMITH
KALI UCHIS
LEON THOMAS
NORMANI
QUEEN NAIJA

SOUL TRAIN CERTIFIED AWARD
ASHANTI
JORJA SMITH
LEDISI
LENNY KRAVITZ
MAJOR.
TAMIA

BEST R&B/SOUL FEMALE ARTIST
BEYONCE
ELLA MAI
H.E.R.
MARIAH CAREY
SZA

BEST R&B/SOUL MALE ARTIST
BRUNO MARS
CHILDISH GAMBINO
DANIEL CAESAR
JOHN LEGEND
KHALID
TANK

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
ANDRA DAY
KIRK FRANKLIN
LECRAE
SNOOP DOGG
TORI KELLY

RHYTHM & BARS AWARD (BEST HIP-HOP SONG OF THE YEAR)
CARDI B - I LIKE IT FEAT. BAD BUNNY & J BALVIN
CHILDISH GAMBINO - THIS IS AMERICA
DJ KHALED - NO BRAINER FEAT. JUSTIN BIEBER, CHANCE THE RAPPER AND QUAVO
DRAKE - IN MY FEELINGS
THE CARTERS - APE S**T

SONG OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - EVERY KIND OF WAY
SZA - THE WEEKEND
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

ALBUM/MIXTAPE OF THE YEAR
CHLOE X HALLE - THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
CHRIS BROWN - HEARTBREAK ON A FULL MOON
H.E.R. - H.E.R.
LEON BRIDGES - GOOD THING
MIGUEL - WAR & LEISURE
THE INTERNET - HIVE MIND

THE ASHFORD AND SIMPSON SONGWRITER'S AWARD

• FINESSE (REMIX) - WRITTEN BY: GENE HERNANDEZ, BELCALIS ALMANZAR, CHRIS BROWN, JAMES FAUNTLEROY, PHILIP LAWRENCE, RAY MCCULLOUGH, KLENORD RAPHAEL, JEREMY REEVES, JAMES YIP, RAY ROMULUS (BRUNO MARS FEAT. CARDI B)
• SUMMERTIME MAGIC - WRITTEN BY: DONALD GLOVER, LUDWIG GORANSSON (CHILDISH GAMBINO)
• BEST PART - WRITTEN BY: ASHTON SIMMONDS, H.E.R., RILEY BELL, MATTHEW BURNETT, JORDAN EVANS (DANIEL CAESAR FEAT. H.E.R.)
• BOO'D UP - WRITTEN BY: ELLA HOWELL, DIJON MCFARLANE, JOELLE JAMES, LARRANCE DOPSON (ELLA MAI)
• FOCUS - WRITTEN BY: H.E.R., DARHYL CAMPER, JUSTIN LOVE (H.E.R.)
• BROKEN CLOCKS - WRITTEN BY: SOLANA ROWE, CODY FAYNE, ADAM FEENEY, ASHTON SIMMONDS, THOMAS BEESLEY (SZA)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
CHRIS BROWN - TEMPO
CIARA - LEVEL UP
HOODCELEBRITYY - WALKING TROPHY
JANET JACKSON - MADE FOR NOW FEAT. DADDY YANKEE

BEST COLLABORATION PERFORMANCE
BRUNO MARS - FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
DANIEL CAESAR - BEST PART FEAT. H.E.R.
JOHN LEGEND - A GOOD NIGHT FEAT. BLOODPOP
KHALID, 6LACK, TY DOLLA $IGN - OTW
SZA - DOVES IN THE WIND FEAT. KENDRICK LAMAR

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BRUNO MARS -  FINESSE (REMIX) FEAT. CARDI B
ELLA MAI - BOO'D UP
H.E.R. - AVENUE
SZA - BROKEN CLOCKS
THE INTERNET - COME OVER

 
ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About Soul Train Holdings
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

About the Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).

About Jesse Collins Entertainment
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the Grammy Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Honors, UNCF An Evening of Stars, ABFF Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins was an executive producer of the hit TV series, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart, the critically-acclaimed The New Edition Story, a biopic on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series on BET in January 2017 and posted record ratings for the network and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. He is also the executive producer of VH1 shows Dear Mama and Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube. He has appeared on the cover of Vibe magazine and has been featured in numerous publications including Ebony magazine. JCE recent debut The Bobby Brown Story aired on BET on September 4 and 5, 2018 drawing over 13MM total viewers in its premiere week.

----------------------------

BET Announces Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and More for 2017 BET Awards

Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Big Sean, New Edition, Post Malone, Roman GianArthur and Jessie Reyez Added to Star-Studded List of Performers at “BET Awards 17”

New Peformers to Join Previously Announced Bruno Mars, Future, Migos, Issa Rae, Jamie Foxx, Yara Shahidi, Cardi B, La La Anthony, Tamar Braxton, Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, Trey Songz, Trevor Noah, Robin Thede, Cari Champion and Demetrius Shipp Jr. at “BET Awards 17”

Chance the Rapper and New Edition to Be Honored

Leslie Jones to Host “BET Awards 17” Airing Live on Sunday, June 25 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET

BET Experience at L.A. Live Presented by Coca-Cola® Takes Place June 22 – 25, 2017

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks announced today that music heavyweights Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, DJ Khaled, Big Sean, Post Malone, Roman GianArthur and Jessie Reyez will perform at the "BET Awards 17" as well as Lifetime Achievement Award recipients New Edition. The iconic annual show will also have performances from previously announced hitmakers including Bruno Mars, Future, Migos, Trey Songz and Tamar Braxton. The "BET Awards 17" has set the standard for one of the most intently unconventional, news-provoking broadcasts. Hosted by stand-up comedian Leslie Jones, the “BET Awards” is sure to include unforgettable moments, appearances and performances you won’t want to miss! The "BET Awards 17" will air LIVE on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at 8 pm ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA on BET.

In addition, leading entertainers across television, film, sports, comedy and music join as presenters at the “BET Awards” 2017 including Yara Shahidi, Cardi B, Issa Rae, Jamie Foxx, La La Anthony, the cast of Universal Pictures’ “Girls Trip” (Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah), Trevor Noah, Robin Thede, Cari Champion and Demetrius Shipp Jr.. These names represent some of the most accomplished talent and rising stars in the industry today.

BET Networks also revealed iconic R&B group New Edition will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the "BET Awards 17." In addition, multi--Grammy Award winning hip-hop artist and singer-songwriter, Chance the Rapper, will receive the evening’s Humanitarian Award presented by Walmart.

As previously announced, Beyoncé dominates this year’s nominations with a total of seven including ‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artist,’ ‘Best Collaboration’ with Kendrick Lamar for “Freedom,” ‘Video of the Year,’ and ‘Album of the Year’ for Lemonade. Bruno Mars follows with five nods including ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist,’ and ‘Video of the Year’ for “24K Magic.” Other nominees include Solange, nominated for four awards and who is up against sister Beyoncé for ‘Best Female R&B/Pop Artist.’ Chance the Rapper and Migos receive four nominations as well, Chance the Rapper nominated for ‘Best Male Hip-Hop Artist’ and ‘Best New Artist’ and Migos for ‘Best Group’ and ‘Best Collaboration’ for their #1 hit “Bad and Boujee” with Lil Uzi Vert. Award. A full list of the "BET Awards 17" nominees is available here.

The "BET Awards 17" will premiere around the world on BET’s international networks. It will air in the UK on Tuesday, June 27th at 9:00pm BST, in Africa on Tuesday, June 27th at 8:00pm CAT, and in France on Wednesday, June 28th at 9:00pm CEST. Internationally, fans in 100 countries can also stream the 2017 “BET Awards” live with BET Play, BET International’s subscription video on demand application. The iOS and Android app, which also features current and classic BET television series, documentaries, standup comedy and legendary musical performances, will carry a live feed of the red carpet and the Awards, and is available for download now in the iTunes and Google Play stores for $3.99 a month following a seven-day free trial.

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producer. Connie Orlando, BET's Senior Vice President of Music and Specials serves as Executive Producers for BET Networks.

The “BET Awards” will take place along with the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles from June 22-25, 2017. BET.com/betawards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year's show. VIP Packages for the 5th year of the BET Experience weekend are better than ever and now on-sale. In addition to VIP amenities throughout the weekend and incredible seats for STAPLES Center shows, three levels of BETX VIP Packages offer guests the only opportunity to purchase tickets to the highly-anticipated BET Awards, broadcast live from Microsoft Theater. Last year the in-demand VIP Packages sold out, so guests are encouraged to purchase now before the allotment is depleted. Full package amenities and pricing for the Diamond, Platinum and Gold VIP Packages can be found by visiting BETExperience.com or by calling (877) 234-8425.

General tickets for the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® are on sale now at http://www.axs.com/betexperience.

Download the BETX '17 app powered by AT&T, the #1 source for everything BETX, including real-time event updates, full schedules, BET Fan Fest wristbands, daily prizes, ticket giveaways, live streams and much more.

Follow the BET Experience on Twitter @betexperience for the latest and greatest and join the hottest conversation by using #BETX. Feel free to also check us out online at http://www.betexperience.com.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B sted NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks - BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, the world’s leading sports and live entertainment company and developer/operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 22 - 25, 2017 presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day festival will be filled with music concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and STAPLES Center; BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 25, 2017 at Microsoft Theater.

ABOUT AEG
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports and live entertainment company. With offices on five continents, AEG operates in the following business segments: AEG Facilities, which is affiliated with or owns, manages or consults with more than 120 preeminent arenas, stadiums, theaters, clubs and convention centers around the world including The O2 Arena, the Sprint Center and the Mercedes-Benz Arenas; AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including producing and promoting global and regional concert tours, music and special events and world-renowned festivals; AEG Real Estate, which develops world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE; AEG Sports, which is the world's largest operator of sports franchises and high-profile sporting events; and AEG Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating and other strategic partnerships. Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 100 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran and multi-Image Award® winner Jesse Collins. Collins has played an integral role in producing many of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Most recently Collins was the executive producer of the critically-acclaimed film, The New Edition Story, a biopic on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series on BET in January 2017 and posted record ratings for the network and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. Collins has also produced award-winning programming including the BET Awards, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards, is a consulting producer for the iconic GRAMMY Awards and executive producer of BET’s hit TV series, Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart and VH1 shows Dear Mama and Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube. Will Smith, Beyonce, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince and Mariah Carey are a few of the myriad of superstar talent that Collins has worked with through the years. Follow Jesse Collins Entertainment @JesseCollinsEnt on Twitter and Instagram and go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

Follow on @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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2016 Grammy Award Nominations; Kendrick Lamar Leads with 11

The Grammy Awards (or Grammys) are given out by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) of the United States. The Grammy is an accolade that recognizes outstanding achievement in the music industry. It is the music industry equivalent to the Academy Awards for film, the Emmy Awards for television, and the Tony Award for stage.

The 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The ceremony will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

The 58th Annual Grammy Awards are recognizing the best musical (and some spoken word and video) recordings, compositions, and artists for the eligibility year that began on October 1, 2014 and ended on September 30, 2015.  There will be a “pre-telecast” ceremony, officially known as the “Premiere Ceremony,” in which the awards for most of the categories will be presented.  That will be held at the Microsoft Theater, which is near the Staples Center.

Below, I have included the nominees in select categories.

2016 / 58th Grammy Award nominees:

GENERAL FIELD

Album Of The Year:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
Traveller — Chris Stapleton
1989 — Taylor Swift
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

Record Of The Year:
“Really Love” — D’Angelo And The Vanguard
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran
“Blank Space” — Taylor Swift
“Can’t Feel My Face” — The Weeknd

Song Of The Year:

• “Alright” — Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)
• “Blank Space” — Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
• “Girl Crush” — Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters (Little Big Town)
• “See You Again” — Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth)
• “Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters (Ed Sheeran)

Best New Artist:
Courtney Barnett
James Bay
Sam Hunt
Tori Kelly
Meghan Trainor

POP FIELD

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Ship To Wreck” — Florence + The Machine
“Sugar” — Maroon 5
“Uptown Funk” — Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
“Bad Blood” — Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“See You Again” — Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth

DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC FIELD

Best Dance Recording:
“We’re All We Need” — Above & Beyond Featuring Zoë Johnston
“Go” — The Chemical Brothers
“Never Catch Me” — Flying Lotus Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Runaway (U & I)” — Galantis
“Where Are Ü Now” — Skrillex And Diplo With Justin Bieber

ROCK FIELD

Best Rock Performance:
“Don’t Wanna Fight” — Alabama Shakes
“What Kind Of Man” — Florence + The Machine
“Something From Nothing” — Foo Fighters
“Ex’s & Oh’s” — Elle King
“Moaning Lisa Smile” — Wolf Alice

ALTERNATIVE FIELD

Best Alternative Music Album:
Sound & Color — Alabama Shakes
Vulnicura — Björk
The Waterfall — My Morning Jacket
Currents — Tame Impala
Star Wars — Wilco

R&B FIELD

Best Urban Contemporary Album:
Ego Death — The Internet
You Should Be Here — Kehlani
Blood — Lianne La Havas
Wildheart — Miguel
Beauty Behind The Madness — The Weeknd

RAP FIELD

Best Rap Performance
"Apparently" – J. Cole
"Back to Back" – Drake
"Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap
"Alright" – Kendrick Lamar
"Truffle Butter" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake & Lil Wayne
"All Day" – Kanye West featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"One Man Can Change The World" – Big Sean featuring Kanye West & John Legend
"Glory" – Common & John Legend
"Classic Man" – Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur
"These Walls" – Kendrick Lamar featuring Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
"Only" – Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown

Best Rap Song
"All Day"
        Ernest Brown, Tyler Bryant, Sean Combs, Mike Dean, Rennard East, Noah Goldstein, Malik Yusef Jones, Karim Kharbouch, Allan Kyariga, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Victor Mensah, Charles Njapa, Che Pope, Patrick Reynolds, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, Mario Winans & Cydel Young, songwriters (Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney)

"Alright"
        Kendrick Duckworth, Kawan Prather, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

"Energy"
        Richard Dorfmeister, A. Graham, Markus Kienzl, M. O'Brien, M. Samuels & Phillip Thomas, songwriters (Drake)

"Glory"
        Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)

"Trap Queen"
Tony Fadd & Willie J. Maxwell, songwriters (Fetty Wap)

Best Rap Album:
2014 Forest Hills Drive — J. Cole
Compton — Dr. Dre
If Youre Reading This Its Too Late — Drake
To Pimp A Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
The Pinkprint — Nicki Minaj

COUNTRY FIELD

Best Country Album:
Montevallo — Sam Hunt
Pain Killer — Little Big Town
The Blade — Ashley Monroe
Pageant Material — Kacey Musgraves
Traveller — Chris Stapleton

JAZZ FIELD

Best Jazz Instrumental Album:
My Favorite Things — Joey Alexander
Breathless — Terence Blanchard Featuring The E-Collective
Covered: Recorded Live At Capitol Studios — Robert Glasper & The Robert Glasper Trio
Beautiful Life — Jimmy Greene
Past Present — John Scofield

GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC FIELD

Best Gospel Album:
Destined To Win (Live) — Karen Clark Sheard
Living It — Dorinda Clark-Cole
One Place Live — Tasha Cobbs
Covered: Alive Is Asia [Live] (Deluxe) — Israel & Newbreed
Life Music: Stage Two — Jonathan McReynolds

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album:
Whatever The Road — Jason Crabb
How Can It Be — Lauren Daigle
Saints And Sinners — Matt Maher
This Is Not A Test — Tobymac
Love Ran Red — Chris Tomlin

LATIN FIELD

Best Latin Pop Album:
Terral — Pablo Alborán
Healer — Alex Cuba
A Quien Quiera Escuchar (Deluxe Edition) — Ricky Martin
Sirope — Alejandro Sanz
Algo Sucede — Julieta Venegas

AMERICAN ROOTS FIELD

Best Americana Album:
The Firewatcher’s Daughter — Brandi Carlile
The Traveling Kind — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Something More Than Free — Jason Isbell
Mono — The Mavericks
The Phosphorescent Blues — Punch Brothers

SPOKEN WORD FIELD

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling):
Blood On Snow (Jo Nesbø) — Patti Smith
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks — Dick Cavett
A Full Life: Reflections At Ninety — Jimmy Carter
Patience And Sarah (Isabel Miller) — Janis Ian & Jean Smart
Yes Please — Amy Poehler (& Various Artists)

PRODUCTION, NON-CLASSICAL FIELD

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Jeff Bhasker
Dave Cobb
Diplo
Larry Klein
Blake Mills

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM

Best Music Film:
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown — James Brown
Sonic Highways — Foo Fighters
What Happened, Miss Simone? — Nina Simone
The Wall — Roger Waters
Amy — Amy Winehouse

Music for Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
Empire: Season 1 – various artists
Fifty Shades Of Grey – various artists
Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me – various artists
Pitch Perfect 2 – various artists
Selma – various artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Birdman - Antonio Sánchez, composer
The Imitation Game - Alexandre Desplat, composer
Interstellar - Hans Zimmer, composer
The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson, composer
Whiplash - Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media

•     "Earned It" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Ahmad Balshe, Jason Quenneville, Stephan Moccio & Abel Tesfaye, songwriters (The Weeknd)
•     "Glory" (from Selma) – Lonnie Lynn, Che Smith & John Stephens, songwriters (Common & John Legend)
•     "Love Me like You Do" (from Fifty Shades of Grey) – Savan Kotecha, Max Martin, Tove Nilsson, Ali Payami, & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Ellie Goulding)
•     "See You Again" (from Furious 7) – Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth)
• "Til It Happens to You" (from The Hunting Ground) – Lady Gaga & Diane Warren, songwriters (Lady Gaga)

------------------------------

Complete List of Winners at the 2015 BET Awards

Beyoncé, Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj Win Big at the Annual “BET AWARDS” 2015

Janet Jackson Receives Inaugural Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award

Epic Evening Featured Performances by Puff Daddy & The Family, Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Meek Mill, Ne-Yo, Nicki Minaj, The Weeknd, Tinashe, Tyga and More

#BETAWARDS

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From JANET JACKSON and PUFF DADDY & THE FAMILY to SMOKEY ROBINSON and KENDRICK LAMAR, it was a night full of electrifying performances, heartfelt speeches and unforgettable moments at the 15th annual “BET AWARDS" hosted by ANTHONY ANDERSON and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, which aired live from the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. LIVE on Sunday, June 28, 2015.

Hosts ANTHONY ANDERSON and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS surprised the audience with a hilarious original opening song complete with Tracee flying over the stage in a money suit. The two captivated the crowd the entire night, thanks to their riffs on a range of hot topics, from Rachel Dolezal to Tyler Perry and impersonating celebrities from Sam Smith to Cookie and Lucius from “Empire.”

KENDRICK LAMAR kicked off the show with an explosive performance of his latest single “Alright” and graced the stage again after winning Best Male Hip Hop Artist. BEYONCÉ and CHRIS BROWN tied with 3 awards, followed by Oscar-winning film “Selma” and FOX’s “Empire,” which each took home two awards.

One of the most attention-grabbing moments of the evening was JANET JACKSON taking the stage to receive the inaugural Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award, presented by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The pop icon was honored with a tantalizing, high-energy dance tribute highlighting a mix of some of the most memorable and successful performances of her storied career, as told by a star-studded roster of a few of the hottest names in the 2015 class of pop music. It included a pulsating rendition of “Pleasure Principle” by TINASHE, followed by “All for You” by JASON DERULO and CIARA’s hard-hitting delivery of “If.” All three stars joined forces for an unforgettable dance-off to “Rhythm Nation,” which had the entire crowd on their feet and cheering. A humbled Jackson shyly thanked God and her fans for her 25 plus year career, along with BET for the honor, all while smiling brightly and clutching her trophy in hand.

ALICIA KEYS made a surprise appearance joining THE WEEKND on the “BET AWARDS” stage for a stunning performance of "Earned It" that drew a standing ovation. The ultra-talented JANELLE MONAE delivered an incredible performance of "Yoga,” which was amped up even more with an appearance by JIDENNA, who took over the stage to perform his own hit “Classic Man.”

Always one to keep the party going, NICKI MINAJ got the crowd popping when she joined MEEK MILL on stage with CHRIS BROWN to perform their brand new single “All Eyes on Us.” Then, today's hottest rising stars, AVERY WILSON and ANDRA DAY both had impressive performances during the evening as a part of Music Matters presented by Nissan.

Earlier in the night CHRIS BROWN had the audience moving to his latest hit with TYGA “Ayo,” then the crowd got on their feet when OMARION joined the stage to jump on “Post To Be” for a hot dance routine with Brown.

YAZZ, JUSSIE SMOLLETT and SERAYAH from the cast of “Empire” had the entire room dancing to “No Apologies,” “You're So Beautiful,” and “Drip Drop,” which JUICY J joined for on stage.

BIG SEAN got the crowd on its feet to “One Man Can Change the World,” “Blessings,” and “IDFWU” with special guest E-40.

Presenter LAVERNE COX got in on the night's fun with co-presenter GABRIELLE UNION, who played a round of “hip-hop trivia” to determine who would have to change after wearing matching dresses.

One of the nights top highlights was a surprise reunion performance from PUFF DADDY & THE FAMILY who brought out original members of Bad Boy Records including LIL’ KIM, MA$E, FAITH EVANS, THE LOX, 112 and a projection of NOTORIOUS B.I.G. as well as special guests FRENCH MONTANA and PHARRELL to perform classic records including “Peaches & Cream,””Feel So Good,” “Hypnotize,’” and “All About The Benjamins” as well as Diddy and Pharrell’s newest collaboration “Finna Get Loose.”

Following the performance, Diddy presented legendary recording artist and Motown executive SMOKEY ROBINSON with the Lifetime Achievement Award. TORI KELLY blew the audience away during the tribute performance for Robinson with her powerful vocals to a rendition of “Who’s Loving You,” followed by soulful performances from ROBIN THICKE and NE-YO, before Smokey himself took the stage to perform “Tracks of My Tears,” “Cruisin’,” and a crowd sing-along to “My Girl,” for which Kelly, Thicke and Ne-Yo returned to the stage.

PATTI LABELLE proved she hasn’t missed a beat joining TAMAR BRAXTON and K.MICHELLE who put their differences aside as they performed “If Only You Knew.”

FETTY WAP capped the epic night with smash hit “Trap Queen”, which delivered on its promise to be the hottest ticket in town. The "BET AWARDS" 2015 drew the biggest names in music, entertainment and sports, with appearances by Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Janet Jackson, Brandy, DeSean Jackson, Donald Glover, Gabrielle Union, Kelly Rowland, Laverne Cox, Michael B Jordan, Michael Ealy, Nicole Ari Parker, Sanaa Lathan, Terrence Howard, Tia Mowry-Hardict and Zendaya.

NICOLE ARI PARKER and BORIS KODJOE presented Bivian “Sonny” Lee lll (Founder and President of Son of a Saint) as a recipient of the 2015 Shine-A-Light. Michael B. Jordan also presented the honor to the #BLACKLIVESMATTER movement.

RIHANNA made an appearance to give BET the first look at her music video for “Bitch Better Have My Money” before its Thursday, July 2 release, which had the audience yelling “give her her money.”

In addition to all of these incredible moments, the complete list of “BET AWARDS” 2015 winners is:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Chris Brown

Best Group
Rae Sremmurd

Best Collaboration
Common & John Legend, “Glory” from the Motion Picture Selma

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year
Beyoncé, “7/11”

Video Director of the Year
Beyoncé, Ed Burke & Todd Tourso

Best New Artist
Sam Smith

Best Gospel Artist
Lecrae

Best Actress
Taraji P. Henson, “No Good Deed/Think Like a Man Too/From the Rough”

Best Actor
Terrence Howard, “St. Vincent/Lullaby/Sabotage”

YoungStars Award
Mo'ne Davis

Best Movie
Selma

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Serena Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Stephen Curry

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
Nicki Minaj ft. Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown “Only”

McDonald’s I’m Lovin’ It Award
Nicki Minaj

Fandemonium Award
Chris Brown

Centric Award
The Weeknd

Best International Act: Africa
Stonebwoy (Ghana)

Best International Act: UK
Stormzy

For performance clips of the “BET AWARDS” 2015, please visit: http://www.epklink.com/2015BETAwards

BET.com/Awards is the official site for the “BET AWARDS” 2015, and features all the incredible content from this year’s show. Join the conversation on social media by following BET’s multiple social media platforms dedicated to the BET Awards:

    On Twitter & Instagram: @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
    On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
    On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com

The “BET Awards” 2015 will premiere around the world on BET’s international network on Tuesday, June 30 at 9:00pm BST / 10:00pm CAT and will air live on MTV Australia for the very first time (check local listings).

Encore viewings of the show will air on BET on:

    Sunday, June 28 at 12:30 a.m.* (immediately following LIVE post show)
    Monday, June 29 at 8:00 p.m.*
    Tuesday, June 30 at 4:30 p.m.*

*ALL TIMES ARE EST

Stephen Hill, BET’s President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET’s Senior Vice President of Music and Specials, Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials, served as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

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Chris Brown, Michael B. Jordan to Appear at 2015 BET Awards

Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan and Zendaya – “BET Awards” 2015 is Pulling Out All the Stops for the 15th Anniversary of Music’s Biggest Night

HOSTED BY ANTHONY ANDERSON AND TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, “BET AWARDS” 2015 WILL AIR LIVE ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 ON BET FROM MICROSOFT THEATRE AT L.A. LIVE IN LOS ANGELES, CA

#BETX / #BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, BET Networks revealed some of the industry’s most influential names in entertainment who are set to appear at the 15th annual “BET Awards” 2015 on Sunday, June 28, 2015. Hosted by Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, the “BET Awards” will include a performance by Chris Brown and Kendrick Lamar. The star power continues as the network also announced that actor Michael B. Jordan and entertainer Zendaya will take the stage as presenters during the 15th Anniversary of the annual highly-anticipated televised event. Additional names to be announced.

A full list of the “BET Awards” 2015 nominations is now available at http://www.bet.com/awards.

Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET’s Senior Vice President of Music and Specials, Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

The “BET Awards” 2015 will air LIVE on Sunday, June 28, 2015 on BET and will premiere around the world on BET’s international network on Tuesday, June 30 at 9:00pm BST / 10:00pm CAT and will air live on MTV Australia for the very first time (check local listings).

The “BET Awards” will take place along with the BET Experience at L.A. Live in Los Angeles from June 25-28, 2015. BET.com/Awards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year's show. All information about the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® can be found at BETExperience.com. The BET Experience VIP Package offers the only way to purchase a “BET Awards” ticket, great seats to 3-nights of concerts at the Staples Center, and exclusive access to events at the free Fan Fest. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to BET.com/BETX.Follow the Experience on Twitter @betexperience.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, UNCF An Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins is an executive producer of Real Husbands of Hollywood, (now going into its 4th hit season) alongside industry icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, one of the leading entertainment companies in the world and developer/ operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 25 - 28, 2015 presented by Coca-Cola®. This three-day festival will be filled with music and comedy concerts taking place at Club Nokia and STAPLES Center; “106 & PARK”; FREE BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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2015 "BET Award" Nominees Announced; Winners Announced June 28th

BET Networks Announces Official Nominees for The “BET Awards” 2015

Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj Lead with Six Nominations Followed by Beyoncé and Lil Wayne with Four

Sam Smith Receives Two Nods, and Newcomer FKA Twigs is Nominated for Best International Artist: UK

“BET Awards” to Air Live on Sunday, June 28 from Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA at 8 P.M. ET

#BETAWARDS

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB, VIA), today announced the nominations for the "BET Awards" 2015. Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj lead with an impressive six nominations. Chris Brown is nominated for ‘Best Male R&B/Pop Artist,’ two separate nods in the ‘Best Collaboration’ category, two nominations in the ‘Video of the Year’ category and the ‘Coca-Cola® Viewers’ Choice Award.’ Nicki Minaj is nominated ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Best Female Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ two nominations for ‘Coca-Cola® Viewers’ Choice Award’ and ‘Best Group’ as a member of Young Money.

Beyoncé and Lil Wayne round it out with four nominations each. Beyoncé is nominated for ‘Best Female R&B / Pop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Video Director of the Year,’ and the coveted ‘Coca-Cola® Viewers’ Choice Award.’ Lil Wayne is nominated for ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Coca-Cola® Viewers’ Choice Award,’ and ‘Best Group’ as a member of Young Money. This year also marks a special milestone for the "BET Awards" as it celebrates its 15th anniversary live from the Nokia Theatre, Sunday, June 28, 2015.

    “This year’s nominees showcase a diverse group of talent that includes longstanding entertainers, breakout performers, and outstanding athletes”

BET Networks recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 20 categories with the "BET Awards" 2015 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is comprised of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.

“This year’s nominees showcase a diverse group of talent that includes longstanding entertainers, breakout performers, and outstanding athletes,” said Stephen Hill, BET’s President of Programming. “We congratulate all of the talent on their remarkable contributions to the world of entertainment and look forward to them joining us in celebrating 15 years of the BET Awards.”

The complete list of nominees for the "BET Awards" 2015 are:

BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
BEYONCÉ
CIARA
JANELLE MONÁE
JHENÉ AIKO
K. MICHELLE
RIHANNA

BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
AUGUST ALSINA
CHRIS BROWN
JOHN LEGEND
THE WEEKND
TREY SONGZ
USHER

BEST GROUP
A$AP MOB
JODECI
MIGOS
RAE SREMMURD
RICH GANG
YOUNG MONEY

BEST COLLABORATION
AUGUST ALSINA F/ NICKI MINAJ – NO LOVE (REMIX)
BIG SEAN F/ E-40 - IDFWU
CHRIS BROWN F/ LIL WAYNE & TYGA - LOYAL
CHRIS BROWN F/ USHER & RICK ROSS - NEW FLAME
COMMON & JOHN LEGEND - GLORY (FROM THE MOTION PICTURE "SELMA")
MARK RONSON F/ BRUNO MARS – UPTOWN FUNK

BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
BIG SEAN
COMMON
DRAKE
J. COLE
KENDRICK LAMAR
WALE

BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
AZEALIA BANKS
DEJ LOAF
IGGY AZALEA
NICKI MINAJ
TINK
TRINA

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
BEYONCÉ - 7/11
BIG SEAN F/ E-40 - IDFWU
CHRIS BROWN F/ LIL WAYNE & TYGA - LOYAL
CHRIS BROWN F/ USHER & RICK ROSS - NEW FLAME
COMMON & JOHN LEGEND - GLORY (FROM THE MOTION PICTURE "SELMA")
NICKI MINAJ - ANACONDA

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
BENNY BOOM
BEYONCÉ, ED BURKE & TODD TOURSO
CHRIS ROBINSON
FATIMA ROBINSON
HYPE WILLIAMS

BEST NEW ARTIST
BOBBY SHMURDA
DEJ LOAF
FETTY WAP
RAE SREMMURD
SAM SMITH
TINASHE

BEST GOSPEL ARTIST
DEITRICK HADDON
ERICA CAMPBELL
FRED HAMMOND
LECRAE
MALI MUSIC
MICHELLE WILLIAMS

BEST ACTRESS
GABRIELLE UNION
KERRY WASHINGTON
TARAJI P. HENSON
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
VIOLA DAVIS

BEST ACTOR
ANTHONY ANDERSON
IDRIS ELBA
JUSSIE SMOLLETT
KEVIN HART
TERRENCE HOWARD

YOUNGSTARS AWARD
JACOB LATIMORE
JADEN SMITH
MO'NE DAVIS
QUVENZHANÉ WALLIS
ZENDAYA

BEST MOVIE
ANNIE
BEYOND THE LIGHTS
SELMA
THINK LIKE A MAN TOO
TOP FIVE

SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
BRITTNEY GRINER
CANDACE PARKER
SERENA WILLIAMS
SKYLAR DIGGINS
VENUS WILLIAMS

SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
CHRIS PAUL
FLOYD MAYWEATHER, JR.
LEBRON JAMES
MARSHAWN LYNCH
STEPHEN CURRY

COCA-COLA VIEWERS’ CHOICE AWARD
BEYONCÉ – 7/11
DEJ LOAF – TRY ME
KENDRICK LAMAR – i
NICKI MINAJ F/ DRAKE, LIL WAYNE & CHRIS BROWN - ONLY
RAE SREMMURD F/ NICKI MINAJ & YOUNG THUG – THROW SUM MO
THE WEEKND – EARNED IT (FROM THE “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY” SOUNDTRACK)

CENTRIC AWARD
AVERY SUNSHINE – CALL MY NAME
JAZMINE SULLIVAN F/ MEEK MILL – DUMB
MARK RONSON F/ BRUNO MARS – UPTOWN FUNK
SAM SMITH F/ MARY J. BLIGE – STAY WITH ME
THE WEEKND - EARNED IT (FROM THE “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY” SOUNDTRACK)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: AFRICA
AKA (SOUTH AFRICA)
FALLY IPUPA (DR CONGO)
SARKODIE (GHANA)
SAUTI SOL (KENYA)
STONEBWOY (GHANA)
THE SOIL (SOUTH AFRICA)
WIZKID (NIGERIA)
YEMI ALADE (NIGERIA)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT: UK
FKA TWIGS
FUSE ODG
LETHAL BIZZLE
LITTLE SIMZ
MNEK
STORMZY

The “BET Awards” 2015 will premiere around the world on BET’s international network at 8:00pm GMT (check local listings).

Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET’s Senior Vice President of Music and Specials, Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

The “BET Awards” will take place along with the BET Experience at L.A. Live in Los Angeles from June 25-28, 2015. BET.com/Awards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year's show. All information about the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® can be found at BETExperience.com. The BET Experience VIP Package offers the only way to purchase a “BET Awards” ticket, great seats to 3-nights of concerts at the Staples Center, and exclusive access to events at the free Fan Fest. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to BET.com/BETX.Follow the Experience on Twitter @betexperience.


ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, UNCF An Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins is an executive producer of Real Husbands of Hollywood, (now going into its 4th hit season) alongside industry icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA®
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, and AEG, one of the leading entertainment companies in the world and developer/ operator of L.A. LIVE, have teamed up once again to create the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 25 - 28, 2015 presented by Coca-Cola®. This three-day festival will be filled with music and comedy concerts taking place at Club Nokia and STAPLES Center; “106 & PARK”; FREE BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special appearances. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

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"Ladies Night" at Soul Train Awards 2014

Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and Da Brat Reunite to Revive “Ladies Night” at Soul Train Awards 2014

Kool & the Gang Honored with the Legend Award During the Ceremony, Premiering November 30th on CENTRIC and BET Networks

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It’s ladies night at SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014! Today, CENTRIC announced that the Grammy Award-winning Queen Bee herself, Lil’ Kim; Grammy Award-winning double platinum artist, Missy Elliott; and the first female solo rapper to ever go platinum, Da Brat, will join the list of all-star performers and presenters at this year’s awards show. Also new to the performance lineup are music fan favorites Tamar Braxton, Bobby Brown, Tank and Sevyn Streeter, who join previously announced hit-makers Chris Brown, Ma$e, Aloe Blacc and Nico & Vinz. Additions to the roster of presenters are LisaRaye McCoy, Bill Bellamy, Keith Sweat and Leon, who will be joining Wendy Williams at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on November 7, 2014. The show airs on CENTRIC and BET Networks on November 30, 2014 at 8PM ET/PT.

    “We are humbled to honor Kool & the Gang with the Legend Award this year. They’ve set music trends that are sampled still today, and I know they, along with the other performers, will bring the Celebration to Vegas throughout the weekend!”

Funk icons Kool & the Gang will be honored with the Legend Award, which recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievements and contribution to soul music. There’s no better way to pay homage to one of the most-sampled bands in history than with top notch performances. Get ready, because hip hop’s legendary MC’s Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott and Da Brat will perform their 1996 platinum single, “Not Tonight,” the remix from Kool & the Gang’s first platinum album and same-titled single, “Ladies Night.” The tribute also includes a performance by soulful singer Joe. In addition to the celebration during the awards show, Kool & the Gang will headline a live musical event during Centric Presents: The Soul Train Review on Sunday, November 9, 2014.

“We are keeping the momentum going with hit-making musical acts from different decades and are thrilled Missy Elliott, Lil Kim and DaBrat chose SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 for their reunion,” said Paxton Baker, General Manager and Executive Vice President, CENTRIC. “We are humbled to honor Kool & the Gang with the Legend Award this year. They’ve set music trends that are sampled still today, and I know they, along with the other performers, will bring the Celebration to Vegas throughout the weekend!”

This year’s theme will celebrate the history of dance, from the classic Soul Train line and the electric slide, to the Dougie and this year’s breakout, the Nae Nae. To keep the party going throughout the show, international DJ and King of Crunk, Lil Jon, has been tapped as the house DJ. His voice has been heard over radio waves for decades, so it only makes sense to have Big Tigger as this year’s official celebrity announcer.

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 is directed by Tony McCuin and produced by BET Event Productions and Sunseeker Media. Executive producers of the network telecast are as follows: Paxton Baker, Tami Arasli, Derek Lewis from Centric; Bart Phillips from Sunseeker and David Koff and Jerry Letter from Soul Train Holdings; Doug E. Fresh; Kevin Hunter and Wendy Williams from Wendy Williams Productions, Inc.

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014.

Follow Centric on Twitter (@CentricTV), Instagram (@CentricTV) and Facebook.com/CentricTV

Be a part of the Soul Train Awards conversation using #SoulTrainAwards

To apply for credentials to cover the SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 red carpet, please apply here.

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 is part of Centric’s Soul Train Weekend at the Orleans Hotel & Casino. The weekend includes the following events:

•     Thursday, November 6: Kick-Off Reception with meet and greets featuring SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 and Comedy All Stars Show talent
•     Friday, November 7: SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014 with host Wendy Williams
•     Saturday, November 8: Centric Comedy All Stars Show hosted by Bill Bellamy featuring comedic geniuses Kim Coles, Faizon Love, Donnell Rawlings, Malik S. and Cocoa Brown
•     Sunday, November 9: Centric Presents: The Soul Train Review, a live musical event with Kool & the Gang
•     Opportunities to watch a live rehearsal and access the red carpet at SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2014

For additional information and to purchase tickets for all of the exciting events, visit www.SoulTrainWeekend.com or call 888-234-2334.

*All talent subject to change

About CENTRIC
Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today's African-American and multicultural adult viewer. With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today's hottest artists. It is a unique of mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About Soul Train Holdings
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle's investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

About the Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).