Atlanta rapper T.I. and R&B singer Beyonce Knowles lead all nominees for the 2009 BET Awards, earning five nods each for albums released this year.
T.I. is up for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration Viewers Choice nominations, powered by his hit album Paper Trail.
Beyonce is expected to dominate the evening as well, as she has been nominated for Best Femle R&B Artist, Best Female Actress and the Viewers Choice Award.
Lil Wayne The Carter 3 helped him earn four nominations which will put him against T.I. in several categories, including Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Best Collaboration and the Viewers Choice Award.
Keri Hilson and T-Pain also earned four nominations, with T-Pain earning Best Collaboration nod for his hit single “Blame It” his duet with the 2009 BET Awards host, Jamie Foxx.
“Blame It” has officially set the all-time record with 12 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Urban Mainstream chart, breaking TLC’s record of 11 weeks, set in 1999 with the single “No Scrubs.”
Others nominated this year include Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Kanye West, Jim Jones, Trina, Jim Jones, Yung Dro, Jasmine Sullivan, Lil Mama, Yung La and Trina.
T.I. will not be present at this year’s ceremony because he begins a year-long stint in prison in the coming weeks, for attempting to illegally purchase machine guns before last year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards.
Ne-Yo and Maxwell have been announced as featured performers for the 2009 BET Awards, which takes place June 28 at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.