2023 BET Awards: Best Male Hip Hop Artist Nominees

The nominations for Best Male Hip Hop Artist at the 2023 BET Awards have been announced. There are seven nominees this year, and naturally, they are all chart-topping sensations. Drake and Kendrick Lamar are shoo-in nominees but artists like Lil Baby and Jack Harlow are in the mix, too, after phenomenal runs in 2022. All the artists have had their music widely discussed in the past year. Plus, they all have something going on outside of the music, proving that their endeavors and passions extend past the booth. Listeners can tune in Sunday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET to see who wins the BET Award for Best Male Hip Hop Artist.

21 Savage

21 Savage is a Male BET Hip Hop Award nominee whose career continues to ascend. In the past year, he’s been a part of some of the biggest rap albums. Such efforts include his joint project with Drake, Her Loss to his stand-out contributions to Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains. Her Loss featured 21 delivering a “timestamp song” — a signature offering in Drake’s career. Plus, he appeared as the only feature on Honestly, Nevermind (“Jimmy Cooks”).” In addition to his monstrous commercial success, 21 also delivered some stellar features on Metro’s soundtrack for Across The Spider-Verse and “Peaches & Eggplants” from Young Nudy’s Gumbo. 21 closed out the year on a high note after linking up with Hit-Boy and Nas on “One Mic, One Gun,” an offering that put an end to his short-lived “feud” with Nas.

Drake

Drake’s nomination for Best Male Hip Hop Artist comes as no surprise. In fact, it would have been a shock if he wasn’t nominated. Drake has basically been nominated every year no matter how much music he has recently put out. Although he only released one song this year with “Search & Rescue,” he’s coming off of a prolific run in 2022 that included the release of two albums: Her Loss and Honestly, Nevermind, which may find its way back into people’s rotation as the summer parties begin. As of late, he appeared with J Hus on “Who Told You” for a potential summer anthem.

Future

Future’s nomination in the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist category at the 2023 BET Awards comes after another dominating year. The success of his collaboration with Drake and Tems on “WAIT FOR U” officially reached triple-platinum status. This single came from Future’s 2022 album, I NEVER LIKED YOU, which marked his triumphant return after a brief hiatus. However, his presence remained prominent throughout the year with stand-out features on Gunna’s DS4, Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains, and the recent Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse soundtrack. As of late, he appeared on the soundtrack for The Idol alongside The Weeknd, who also co-created and stars in the show. Additionally, he teased a new project with Metro Boomin. It’s safe to say that his unmistakable voice can be heard all over recent tracks all over the rap world.

J. Cole

J. Cole is a BET Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Nominee who has hinted at possibly making his way out of the rap game. He still has a few albums due out before he formally retires and he’s certainly making the most out of his time. His spree of features in the past year alone has shocked many of his fans. Cole has not only proved his versatility but also his genuine interest in artists outside of his lane. His feature on Lil Durk’s “All My Life” became widely celebrated upon its release. Just months prior, he teamed up with j-hope of BTS for “on the street.” Plus, he came through alongside Dreamville for the Creed III soundtrack and had a hell of a feature run in 2022 with appearances on Benny The Butcher’s “Johnny P’s Caddy,” and Bia’s “London.”

Jack Harlow

Jack Harlow is one of the youngest artists to be nominated for a BET Award 2023 for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. He also stands out because he’s the only nominee in the category to release an album in 2023 with Jackman. The project is one of his most personal to date and also showcases his ear for production. Although it didn’t top the charts like his 2022 album, Harlow remains one of the most popular rappers in the game today. He secured a Drake feature with his song “Churchill Downs” and his hit “First Class” became one of the biggest songs of 2022. He also appeared on DJ Drama’s 2023 album I’M REALLY LIKE THAT and stars in the White Men Can’t Jump remake.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar’s BET Award 2023 Best Male Hip-Hop Artist nomination comes during a victory lap of sorts for his career. His most recent album, Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers was his last one on Top Dawg Entertainment, the label that launched his career. Still, it appears that he might have more music in store. He appeared on Beyoncé’s “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM (Remix)” and recently dropped “The Hillbillies” with frequent collaborator (and cousin) Baby Keem. The track finds Kendrick doing something he deserves to do at this point in his career: having fun. After a five-year hiatus, Kendrick Lamar’s return to the fold certainly didn’t disappoint fans. He’s undoubtedly a strong contender in the Best Male Hip-Hop Artist category.

Lil Baby

Lil Baby is a 2023 BET Award Best Male Artist nominee who many saw rise to fame in real-time. He’s put in the work to get where he is today. He’s dropped one single this year but he’s unveiled a string of excellent guest appearances, including his verse on DJ Khaled’s “STAYING ALIVE” with Drake. His latest accomplishment has been joining Tears for Fears to create the Budweiser Anthem of the FIFA World Cup in 2022. Beyond that, his star-profile continues to increase with endorsement deals with brands like AXE. Lil Baby’s success is a testament to the years of labor he’s put in over the years. He’s shown what the power of commitment and perseverance can result in the long run.

The BET Awards air on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

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