Predicting the 2019 BET Awards winners

Nominees:

• Travis Scott – "Astroworld"
• Meek Mill – "Championships"
• Ella Mai – "Ella Mai"
• The Carters – "Everything Is Love"
• Cardi B – "Invasion of Privacy"

Winner: Cardi B – "Invasion of Privacy" 

The "regular degular shmegular" girl from the Bronx has become a rap favorite ever since her days on VH1’s "Love & Hip Hop: New York." Cardi B put the world on notice when she broke a number of Billboard records with her smashing debut album, “Invasion of Privacy.” The album featured collaborations with artists such as Migos, Kehlani and 21 Savage. Some of the album’s hit songs were “Bodak Yellow," "Bartier Cardi" and "I Like It."

Nominees:

• Blueface
• City Girls
• Juice Wrld
• Lil Baby
• Queen Naija

Winner: Lil Baby

Lil Baby was on the underground mixtape scene for a few years, but he soon gained mainstream momentum when he dropped his Drake-assisted single, “Yes Indeed.” He then gained more fans when he collaborated with fellow rapper Gunna on a joint mixtape, and their single, “Drip Too Hard,” became a multiplatinum hit.

Nominees:

• Cardi B
• Kash Doll
• Lizzo
• Megan Thee Stallion
• Nicki Minaj
• Remy Ma

Winner: Megan Thee Stallion

The rapper who’s encouraging all her fans to channel their inner “Hot Girl” is next up. Not only is Megan Thee Stallion getting praise from other MCs, but her freestyle skills also are constantly proving that she’s a force to be reckoned with. Some of her hit songs include “Big Ole Freak” and “Cash S**t.”

Nominees:

• 21 Savage
• Drake
• J. Cole
• Meek Mill
• Nipsey Hussle
• Travis Scott

Winner: Nipsey Hussle

Nipsey Hussle had a phenomenal 2018. He released his album “Victory Lap” to wide acclaim and landed a Grammy nomination alongside hip-hop’s heavy hitters. The album was Nipsey’s first major label debut and featured artists such as YG and Marsha Ambrosius. “Victory Lap” was not only a testament of encouragement and Nipsey’s common theme of “the marathon continues,” but it was also a deeper insight into his ambitious persona. 

Nominees:

• Drake – "In My Feelings"
• Ella Mai – "Trip"
• J. Cole – "Middle Child"
• Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin – "I Like It"
• Travis Scott feat. Drake – "Sicko Mode"
• Childish Gambino – "This Is America"

Winner: Drake – "In My Feelings"

Drake’s “In My Feelings” set the world on fire thanks to social media star Shiggy launching the dance-crazed #InMyFeelingsChallenge. It’s safe to say Drake caught wind of the song’s popularity and decided to release it as a single, and the video featured Shiggy along with dance challenge videos from the rapper's biggest fans. 

Nominees:

• 21 Savage feat. J. Cole – "A Lot"
• Cardi B and Bruno Mars – "Please Me"
• Cardi B feat. Bad Bunny and J Balvin – "I Like It"
• H.E.R. feat. Bryson Tiller – "Could’ve Been"
• Travis Scott feat. Drake – "Sicko Mode"
• Tyga feat. Offset – "Taste"

Winner: 21 Savage feat. J. Cole – "A Lot"

J. Cole may be known for going platinum without any features on his own albums; however, he seemed a bit generous to offer bars for other artists this year. 21 Savage recruited Cole on his single “A Lot,” which became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nominees:

• Beyoncé
• Ella Mai
• H.E.R.
• Solange
• SZA
• Teyana Taylor

Winner: Ella Mai

R&B’s newest sensation, Ella Mai first released her hit song “Boo’d Up” in early 2017. However, the song gained more popularity when she released the video the following year. Other stars such as Plies, Fabolous and T-Pain released their own remixes to the song, and “Boo’d Up” spent a number of weeks atop of the Billboard charts.

Nominees:

• Anderson .Paak
• Bruno Mars
• Childish Gambino
• Chris Brown
• John Legend
• Khalid

Winner: Anderson .Paak

The anticipation was high once Anderson .Paak announced he was dropping his third album, “Oxnard.” However, after the album fell to lackluster reviews, .Paak went back to the drawing board and redeemed himself on his fourth album, “Ventura, " which featured collaborations with André 3000, Smokey Robinson and Brandy.

Nominees:

• Chloe x Halle
• City Girls
• Lil Baby and Gunna
• Migos
• The Carters

Winner: The Carters

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have been the reigning king and queen for quite some time now, and the two finally released their collaborative album, “Everything Is Love,” in 2018. Beyonce headlined Coachella last year and inked new deals with Netflix, while Forbes recently reported Jay-Z as hip-hop’s first billionaire.

Nominees:

• AKA – Africa
• Aya Nakamura – France
• Burna Boy – Africa
• Dave – U.K.
• Dosseh – France
• Giggs – U.K.
• Mr. Eazi – Africa

Winner: Burna Boy – Africa

Nigerian artist Burna Boy took the Afrobeats genre to new heights with his 2018 album “Outside.” He’s a master at blending dancehall and reggae for the perfect Afro-fusion, which is evident on his hit single, “Ye.”

Nominees:

• 21 Savage feat. J. Cole – "A Lot"
• Cardi B – "Money"
• Cardi B and Bruno Mars – "Please Me"
• Childish Gambino – "This Is America"
• Drake – "Nice For What"
• The Carters – "Apes**t"

Winner: The Carters – "Apes**t"

The Carters know how to put on a show, and there was no shortage on their hit single “Apes**t.” However, where the video was created sets them apart from the rest. They took over the famous Paris museum, the Louvre, and the video showcases artwork, paintings and statues as a backdrop to their synchronized choreography. 

Nominees:

• Benny Boom
• Colin Tilley
• Dave Meyers
• Hype Williams
• Karena Evans

Winner: Karena Evans

Karena Evans started as an intern with Director X. Since working with X, Evans has gone on to direct videos such as Drake’s “Nice For What” and SZA’s “Garden (Say It Like That).”

Nominees:

• Caleb McLaughlin
• Lyric Ross
• Marsai Martin
• Michael Rainey Jr.
• Miles Brown

Winner: Marsai Martin

Actress and producer Marsai Martin is the true definition of the younger generation taking over Hollywood. In addition to her starring role on ABC’s “Black-ish,” she became the youngest executive producer on her hit film, “Little,” which she starred in alongside Regina Hall.

Nominees:

• Issa Rae
• Regina Hall
• Regina King
• Taraji P. Henson
• Tiffany Haddish
• Viola Davis

Winner: Regina King

Regina King has been in the Hollywood business for over three decades as an actress and director. In 2018 she directed episodes of TV shows such as “The Good Doctor” and “Insecure.” However, she won her first Academy Award in 2019 for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

Nominees:

• Anthony Anderson
• Chadwick Boseman
• Denzel Washington
• Mahershala Ali
• Michael B. Jordan
• Omari Hardwick

Winner: Mahershala Ali

Actor Mahershala Ali got a lot of praise for his role as Don Shirley in 2018’s “Green Book" and received his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also lent his voice as The Prowler in “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.”

Nominees:

• "BlacKkKlansman"
• "Creed II"
• "If Beale Street Could Talk"
• "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"
• "The Hate U Give"

Winner: "If Beale Street Could Talk"

2018 was a phenomenal year for Black Hollywood. One film that stood out among the rest was the drama based on a James Baldwin novel, "If Beale Street Could Talk." The film centers around a young woman who tries to clear her lover's name after being wrongfully accused of a crime. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, the film stars Brian Tyree Henry, Kiki Layne, Stephan James and Regina King.

Nominees:

• Kevin Durant
• LeBron James
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Stephen Curry
• Tiger Woods

Winner: Kevin Durant

The NBA can easily be classified as a soap opera among sports leagues; it’s never short of different angles and drama. Kevin Durant was on the cusp of a possible three-peat championship with the Golden State Warriors before he injured his calf in the second-round playoff series and then injured his Achilles in Game 5 of the Finals. Regardless of the injuries, he averaged 32 points per game during the postseason and proved his competitive spirit to his team. 

Nominees:

• Allyson Felix
• Candace Parker
• Naomi Osaka
• Serena Williams
• Simone Biles

Winner: Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka became a fan favorite when she defeated reigning tennis champion Serena Williams at the US Open last year. She then won her second Grand Slam at the 2019 Australian Open and has a bright future ahead.

Nominees:

• Alicia Keys – "Raise a Man"
• Ciara – "Level Up"
• H.E.R. – "Hard Place"
• Janelle Monae – "Pynk"
• Queen Naija – "Mama’s Hand"
• Teyana Taylor – "Rose In Harlem"

Winner: Janelle Monae – "Pynk"

Janelle Monae may have taken five years to release her third album, “Dirty Computer,” but it was well worth the wait. One of the album’s leading singles, “Pynk” showcases female empowerment and celebrates the power of sexuality.

Nominees:

• Headie One – U.K.
• Jok’Air – France
• Nesly – France
• Octavian – U.K.
• Sho Madjozi – Africa
• Teni – Nigeria

Winner: Headie One – U.K.

The British hip-hop scene has been on the rise over the last several years, and London's newest sensation, Headie One,, had a groundbreaking 2018. Known for his U.K. drill rap style, he became an artist to watch after his single "Know Better" hit the airwaves. However, his 2019 single, "18HUNNA," became a top 10 hit on the U.K. Singles chart. 

Nominees:

• Fred Hammond – "Tell Me Where It Hurts"
• Erica Campbell feat. Warryn Campbell – "All of My Life"
• Kirk Franklin – "Love Theory"
• Snoop Dogg feat. Rance Allen – "Blessing Me Again"
• Tori Kelly feat. Kirk Franklin – "Never Alone"

Winner: Tori Kelly feat. Kirk Franklin – "Never Alone"

Singer and songwriter Tori Kelly first came on the scene in 2015 as a pop artist to watch. However, she decided to take her career in another direction in 2018 and team up with gospel veteran Kirk Franklin on a faith-based project. Their single "Never Alone" helped earn Kelly the top spot on the Billboard Gospel Album chart along with a couple of Grammy trophies.