BET Networks announced that actor/comedian Kevin Hart has been tapped to host this year’s BET Awards that will broadcast live  from the  Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. (eastern) on BET.

The brightest stars in music, acting and sports will appear and perform at this year’s BET Awards which recognizes the achievements of artists, entertainers and athletes in 20 categories.  Leading the pack this year is Chris Brown with an impressive 6 nominations across multiple categories: Best Male R&B Artist, Best Collaboration (for which he holds two nominations), Video of the Year, Best Actor and Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice.  Closely behind him is Lil Wayne with 5 nominations:  Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration (with fellow nominee Chris Brown), Video of the Year and Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice for his collaborations with Chris Brown and Cory Gunz.  Rounding out the list and tied with 4 nominations each are Kanye West, Rihanna and Drake.  

Kevin Hart burst onto the scene as one of the most versatile comedy actors in film and television.  Hart is currently touring the nation on his “Laugh at My Pain” tour. Hart will spend the summer of 2011 filming lead roles in two new movies.   In July, he will start working on Screen Gem’s “Think Like A Man,” the comedy is based on Steve Harvey’s bestselling 2009 book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man.  Hart will then start work on the Nick Stoller comedy “Five Year Engagement” with producer Judd Apatow and Universal.

For continuous BET AWARDS updates, please visit: http://www.bet.com/betawards, www.twitter.com/BETAWARDS (hash tag: #BETAWARDS) and Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheBETAwards.

The nominees for the 2011 BET Awards are:

Best Female R&B Artist

Marsha Ambrosius
Beyonce
Keri Hilson
Jennifer Hudson
Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist

Chris Brown
Cee Lo Green
Bruno Mars
Trey Songz
Usher

Best Group

Diddy-Dirty Money
Cali Swag District
N.E.R.D.
New Boyz
Travis Porter

Best Collaboration

B.o.B. f/ Haley Williams of Paramore – “Airplanes”
Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – “Look at Me Now”
Chris Brown f/ Tyga & Kevin McCall – “Deuces”
Waka Flocka Flame f/ Roscoe Dash & Wale – “No Hands”
Rihanna f/ Drake – “What’s My Name”
Kanye West f/ Rihanna – “All of The Lights”

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

B.o.B.
Drake
Lil Wayne
Rick Ross
Kanye West

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Diamond
Cymphonique
Lola Monroe
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year

Marsha Ambrosius – “Far Away”
B.o.B. f/ Hayley Williams of Paramore – “Airplanes”
Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – “Look at Me Now”
Keri Hilson – “Pretty Girl Rock”
Willow Smith – “Whip My Hair”
Kanye West f/ Pusha T – “Runaway”

Video Director of the Year

Benny Boom
Mr. Boomtown
Chris Robinson
Kanye West
Hype Williams

Best New Artist

J. Cole
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Willow Smith
Wiz Khalifa

Best Gospel

Byron Cage
Deitrick Haddon
Mary Mary
Karen Clark Sheard
BeBe & CeCe Winans

Best Actress

Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Regina King
Zoe Saldana
Kerry Washington

Best Actor

Laz Alonso
Chris Brown
Don Cheadle
Idris Elba
Jamie Foxx

YoungStars Award

Shenell Edmonds
Keke Palmer
Diggy Simmons
Jaden Smith
Willow Smith

Best Movie

“Death at a Funeral”
“For Colored Girls”
“Takers”
“The Book of Eli”
“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too?”

Subway Sportswoman of the Year

Tamika Catchings
Candice Dupree
Maya Moore
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year

Carmelo Anthony
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Derrick Rose
Michael Vick

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Nominees

Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – “Look at Me Now”
Lil Wayne f/ Cory Gunz – “6 Foot 7 Foot”
Mindless Behavior – “My Girl”
Nicki Minaj f/ Drake – “Moment 4 Life”
Rihanna f/ Drake – “What’s My Name”
Trey Songz f/ Nicki Minaj – “Bottoms Up”

Centric Award

Marsha Ambrosius
Eric Benet
Cee Lo Green
R. Kelly
Kem

Best International Act: Africa

2Face Idibia (Nigeria)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
D-Black (Ghana)
Angelique Kidjo (Benin)
Fally Ipupa (Congo DR)
Teargas (South Africa)

Best International Act: UK

VV Brown
Chipmunk
Laura Izibor
Skepta
Tinchy Stryder
Tinie Tempah