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Six nominations. Six. Cardi leads this year's pack and hasn't performed at the BET Awards since 2021. With “Am I the Drama?” hitting the charts and "Outside" still in heavy rotation, a 2026 BET stage moment feels long overdue. And knowing Cardi, she's not going to play it safe.

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2 / 9

Coming off five Grammy wins, a record-breaking Super Bowl halftime show, and an album that dominated the entire year, Kendrick's BET appearance would be a victory lap unlike anything we've seen in a long time. "luther" alone could bring the whole arena to its knees. And if SZA shows up? Say less.

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3 / 9

Mariah the Scientist is having her moment and she is not letting up. Five nominations, a Billboard Women in Music Rising Star award, and “Hearts Sold Separately” becoming one of the year's most compelling R&B projects all have made her 2025–2026's quiet storm. A BET stage debut would make it all official.

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4 / 9

Doechii does not do boring. After shutting down the Grammys with one of the most talked-about live moments in recent memory, the Tampa rapper earned four BET nominations and a permanent place in the BET Awards conversation. Whether she brings the sitcom energy of "Denial is a River" or the viral chaos of "Anxiety," expect the unexpected.

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5 / 9

With four nominations, Doja's “Vie” era has shown a different side of her (sleek, confident, disco-inflected) and "Jealous Type" is the kind of song built for a big stage. Her BET performances have always been events. This one would be no different.

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6 / 9

Pusha T and Malice reunited, with Pharrell behind the boards, on a Grammy-nominated comeback album — the culture already won. “Let God Sort Em Out” is a reminder that nobody raps like these two when they're locked in. A BET performance would be a full-circle moment for one of hip-hop's greatest duos. We want the black-and-white luxury vibes IRL.

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7 / 9

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9 / 9

If you don't know Olivia Dean yet, the BET Awards might just be where you meet her. The British singer-songwriter's "Man I Need" became a global phenomenon, topping charts from Australia to Ireland, racking up tens of millions of YouTube views, and earning four nominations at this year's show. Her voice live is something else entirely. This is the (Black) introduction she deserves.

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