The BET Awards, founded 21 years ago by the Black Entertainment Television network, is an annual ceremony that recognises Black excellence and achievement in sports, acting, music, and other areas of entertainment. This year's awards were held on Sunday, June 26 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Taraji P. Henson, and featured performances by Lizzo, Bryson Tiller, and Chance the Rapper. While the nominations cover a wide range of entertainment fields, the majority of them are for music, and this article reveals which artists won in each.

On June 27, 2021, the 21st BET Awards were held. The ceremony honoured achievements in entertainment, including music, sports, television, and film. The theme of the ceremony was "Year of the Black Woman," and it was held in-person with a vaccinated audience following the virtual ceremony the previous year.

On May 27, 2021, the nominees were announced. DaBaby and Megan Thee Stallion received the most nominations, each receiving seven, ahead of Cardi B and Drake, who both received five nominations.

On June 14, it was announced that Taraji P. Henson, an actress, would host the ceremony for the first time, and that Queen Latifah, a musician and actress, would receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is a singer-songwriter from the United States. Fearless, her debut album, was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success. She was born and raised in Philadelphia. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and topped Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (RIAA). It produced four singles, including "Need U Bad" and "Bust Your Windows," both of which charted in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100; the former became Sullivan's first and only number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In 2010, Sullivan released her second studio album, Love Me Back, which was well received by critics. After a three-year hiatus, Sullivan signed with RCA Records and released her first studio album.

Winner: Jazmine Sullivan

"Jazmine Sullivan has authored the kind of songbook that could form the basis of a jukebox musical. Given the versatility the R&B artist has displayed as a gospel-reared and stage-trained powerhouse vocalist, the production would require a large and exceptionally talented ensemble to do right by the source material." 

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and record producer better known as the Weeknd. [2] His music explores escapism, romance, and melancholia, and is often inspired by personal experiences. He is known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism. [3] He has won four Grammys, 20 Billboard Music Awards, 17 Juno Awards, six American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, a Latin Grammy Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Winner: The Weeknd

"The Weeknd is the alias of alternative R&B enigma-turned-pop star Abel Tesfaye, whose aching accounts of emotionally and physically toxic indulgences have translated to multi-platinum sales and Grammy recognition. The singer and songwriter arrived in 2011 with three mixtapes offering morose ballads that seemed to have no designs on mainstream appeal. Within only a few years, however, Tesfaye had scored a variety of Top Ten pop hits

Silk Sonic is an American R&B supergroup that consists of singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and rapper, drummer, and singer Anderson.Paak. In March 2021, the duo released their debut single, "Leave the Door Open." In July 2021, they released "Skate," followed by their third single, "Smokin Out the Window," and their debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic, in November 2021. The album reached number two on the Billboard 200, and the first three singles charted in the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Leave the Door Open" spending 18 weeks in the top ten and two weeks at the top. The song went on to win four Grammys, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Best Group
Winner: Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)

"Silk Sonic is a nostalgic soul outlet for born entertainers Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. The pair made their collaborative debut as a singing duo in 2021 with the number one pop hit 'Leave the Door Open,' scored a Top 20 single with the follow-up 'Skate,' and offered the full-length An Evening with Silk Sonic that November

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Winner: Megan Thee Stallion

Jovon, Megan Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995) is an American rapper known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"). She rose to prominence after videos of her freestyle became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram. She is originally from Houston, Texas. Megan Thee Stallion signed with 300 Entertainment in 2018, and her mixtape Fever (2019) and extended play Suga (2020) both charted in the top ten on the Billboard 200.

"Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion's sexually charged lyrics and nonstop confidence meet with a pop sheen that consistently delivers commercial hits. The rapper found local success shortly after she began performing in 2016, and the rest of the world caught on shortly thereafter