Lil Wayne Leads MCs in BET Awards Nods

The nominees for the 2011 BET Awards have been announced and Lil Wayne leads all rappers with five nominations.

Weezy is up for five trophies in such categories as Best Hip-Hop Artist, Viewer’s Choice for his hit single “6 Foot 7 Foot” and three nods for his collaboration with BET Awards frontrunner Chris Brown (who received six nominations, the highest of any other artist), for “Look At Me Now.”

Multiple nominations also went to Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, B.o.B, Drake and Nicki Minaj. Young Money is well represented among the nominees. Along with Wayne and Drake (who is up four awards including Best Male Hip Hop artist and Best Collaboration for Rihanna’s “What’s My Name”), Minaj also earned honors in three categories, counting the expected Best Female Hip Hop artist. All three artists landed in the Coca-Cola Viewer's Choice category which includes Trey Songz’s collabo with Nicki MInaj, “Bottom’s Up,” Nicki MInaj Ft. Drake, “Moment 4 Life,” “Rihanna ft. Drake, “What’s My Name,” “Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz, “6 Foot 7 Foot,” Chris Brown ft. Weezy and Busta Rhymes, “Look At Me Now and Mindless Behavior’s “My Girl.”

In the New Artist category, J. Cole will compete with Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars, Miguel and Willow Smith.

Best Group nominations went to Diddy-Dirty Money, Cali Swag District, N.E.R.D., New Boyz and Travis Porter.

The award show, which will be hosted by actor/comedian Kevin Hart, is set to air live on Sunday, June 26, at 8PM/7c. —Lauren Carter