Drake leads at BET Awards with 12 nominations

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AAA??Jun. 30, 2013?10:18 AM ET Drake leads at BET Awards with 12 nominations By MESFIN FEKADUBy MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer?? FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2012 file photo, Drake performs at the "Made In America" music festival, in Philadelphia. The rapper-singer is up for 12 honors at the 2013 BET Awards, including five nominations for video of the year, which has 10 nominees. The awards air live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2012 file photo, Drake performs at the "Made In America" music festival, in Philadelphia. The rapper-singer is up for 12 honors at the 2013 BET Awards, including five nominations for video of the year, which has 10 nominees. The awards air live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2012 file photo, Drake performs at the "Made In America" music festival in Philadelphia, PA. The rapper-singer is up for 12 honors at the 2013 BET Awards, including five nominations for video of the year, which has 10 nominees. The awards air live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE - This Oct. 30, 2012 file photo shows Nicki Minaj performing at the O2 in London. Minaj, who has won best female hip-hop artist for three consecutive years at the BET Awards, is up for the honor again with little competition. The 2013 BET Awards air live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Allan/Invision/AP, file) FILE - In this May 19, 2013 file photo, Chris Brown, center, performs at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Brown is nominated for best male R&B artist at the 2013 BET Awards, and will perform in the show. The awards air live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this May 5, 2013 file photo, Justin Timberlake performs at the MasterCard Priceless Premieres concert in New York. Timberlake, who has four nominations including best male R&B artist and best collaboration for ?Suit & Tie? with Jay-Z, at the upcoming 2013 BET Awards, will also perform. The show airs live Sunday, June 30, 2013, from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) The BET Awards should be called the Drake Awards. The rapper-singer is up for 12 honors, including five nominations for video of the year, which has 10 nominees. His own hits ? "Started from the Bottom" and "HYFR" ? are up for the top prize, as well as his guest appearances on 2 Chainz's "No Lie," A$AP Rocky's "(Expletive) Problems" and Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice." Other video of the year nominees are Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie," Rihanna's "Diamonds," ''Adorn" by Miguel, Kanye West's "Mercy" and "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. While 26-year-old Drake is mostly battling himself for the night's top award ? to air live Sunday from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live ? some of his friends (and enemies) will blaze the stage, including Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown, who is nominated for best male R&B artist. Minaj, who has won best female hip-hop artist for three consecutive years, is up for the honor again with little competition. But the animated rapper isn't the only diva taking the stage: Mariah Carey is also set to sing her latest single, "#Beautiful," with Miguel. Justin Timberlake, who has four nominations including best male R&B artist and best collaboration for "Suit & Tie" with Jay-Z, will also perform. Other performers include Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, India.Arie, Ciara and Robin Thicke, who's "Blurred Lines" is spending its third week on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 2 Chainz and Lamar, who had a breakthrough this year with his critically acclaimed major label debut, "good kid, m.A.A.d city," follow Drake with eight nominations each. Timberlake, Drake, Lamar, Rocky, Miguel and Rihanna will compete for the fan-voted viewer's choice award. Charlie Wilson will earn the lifetime achievement award and Dwyane Wade, who recently won the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat, will receive the humanitarian award. Chris Tucker will host the awards show, and presenters include Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Paula Patton and Gabrielle Union. Sunday's BET Awards is the last part of the network's three-day, weekend event dubbed "BET Experience at L.A. Live." It kicked off Friday with a Beyonce concert, and other performers throughout the weekend included Miguel, The Jacksons and R. Kelly. ___ Online: http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards.html ___ Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter: twitter.com/MusicMesfin Associated PressNews Topics: Award shows, Entertainment, Arts and entertainment, African-Americans, Business, General news, Music, Rhythm and blues, Hip hop and rap, Pop music, BET Awards, Television programs, Celebrity, Events People, Places and Companies: Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Kanye West, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, India.Arie, Ciara, Robin Thicke, Dwyane Wade, Chris Tucker, Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Paula Patton, Gabrielle Union, Beyonce Knowles

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