Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott Top '06 BET AWARDS List With Four Nominations Each

Busta Rhymes, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott Top '06 BET AWARDS List With Four Nominations Each

Comedian Daman Wayans to Host His First-Ever BET AWARDS Show Televising Live From Los Angeles's Famed Shrine Auditorium on Tuesday, June 27

Featured Performers Include Mary J. Blige, T.I., Mariah Carey and Kanye West

Songstress Chaka Khan to Receive BET Lifetime Achievement Award; World-Renown Actor and Activist Harry Belafonte Set for BET Humanitarian Award

LOS ANGELES, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- As the countdown officially begins to the most legendary night in Black entertainment, it's the legendary superstars who will be heard from loud and clear. Hip-Hop giants Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliott, R&B diva Mary J. Blige and Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx -- all legends in their own right -- earned a phenomenal four nominations each for the 2006 BET AWARDS, which televise live on Tuesday, June 27 from its new location at the Shrine Auditorium at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT (tape delayed to the Pacific and Mountain Time Zones). Nominations were announced today in Hollywood.

BET's annual salute to superlative performance in music, television, film and sports promises 15 intensely competitive categories, including a brand new category recognizing innovation and originality in R&B music. This year's crowning recognitions will go to individuals whose names are synonymous with greatness as R&B icon Chaka Khan receives the BET Lifetime Achievement Award and actor/singer/activist Harry Belafonte is honored with the BET Humanitarian Award.

Actor and comedian Damon Wayans, multi-talented member of the famed Wayans family of Hollywood achievers, steps forward to host his first-ever BET AWARDS show. Add performers like Mary J. Blige, T.I., Mariah Carey and Kanye West, and the stage is set for an explosive night under the Western sky.

"BET Awards is the best awards show on television, period. No qualifier. And here are three great reasons why: Number One, our host is Damon Wayans. He's been making people laugh for 20 years," said Reginald Hudlin, BET President of Entertainment. "Number Two is Lifetime Achievement honoree Chaka Khan. Her voice sounds like she swallowed Jimmy Hendrix's guitar. Third is Humanitarian Award recipient Harry Belafonte, an award I'm very proud to be associated with. Harry is the first music artist to receive a platinum record. Harry popularized the concept of world music before there was even the phrase. And most importantly, his efforts on behalf of human rights and civil rights are unmatched by any other artist. People forget that Dr. King's famous letter from the Birmingham jail was addressed to Harry Belafonte."

Even as a first-time host, Wayans still promises to keep the show flowing with his special brand of brash, irreverent, "Hell No, Homey Don't Play That" humor first unveiled in the ground-breaking sketch comedy series In Living Color. Now the star, creator and executive producer of the hit ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids, earned his stripes and is ready to stake his claim on the awards show circuit.

"Damon is a fierce stand-up comedian with a biting sense of humor that will keep everyone in the audience on their toes," said Stephen Hill, BET Executive Vice President for Music and Entertainment Programming. "The BET Awards is known for bringing the heat. And with the performers we have lined up and the left-of-center elements planned, the heat shall be 'broughten' again. You know how we do."

Busta Rhymes, who was one of the artists announcing the nominations along with Ne-Yo, 3-6 Mafia and Keyshia Cole, earned nods for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Best Duet and Video of the Year and is up for the Viewer's Choice Award. Jamie Foxx, whose recent solo album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's R&B charts, is up for Best Male R&B Artist, Best Duet/collaboration (with Kanye West), Best Actor and Video of the Year (with Kanye West).

And as for the ladies, Mary J. Blige's nominations include: Best Female R&B Artist, Best Duet/Collaboration (with Busta Rhymes) and two nods for Video of the Year. Missy Elliott, also received two nominations for Video of the Year to go along with her nods for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and Best Duet/Collaboration (with Busta Rhymes).

Other artists receiving multiple nominations included: Kanye West, Ne-Yo and Chris Brown each with three; Anthony Hamilton, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Lloyd Banks, Mariah Carey, Mary Mary, Papoose, Rah Digga, Slim Thug and T.I. each scored two apiece.

Last year's BET AWARDS was the most-watched program in the network's 26- year history with an amazing 6.6 million viewers tuning in to catch the excitement. BET has again teamed with Cossette Productions, famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards(R) and the five previous record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast.

To heat things up and cool things down, BET will be all over the pre- and post-award show happenings with a special edition of 106 & PARK: LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET, beginning at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT. Hosts Tigger and Julissa Bermudez will no doubt capture all the excitement from fashion to who's escorting whom at the summer's most anticipated awards show. The energy will continue post the awards when BET News brings you THE BLACK CARPET LOUNGE live and hosted by Toure' beginning at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT. There will be a non- stop parade of celebrity interviews and featured highlights from the show.

BET online audience will have the opportunity to really be a part of the show as virtual members of the BET AWARDS 06 voting academy by logging onto http://www.bet.com/ to vote for their favorite performer in the Viewers' Choice poll. The actual voting takes place real time during the telecast. Fans can also select the BET Ultimate Fan by casting votes for 10 previously selected video entries for the individual who best shows off their enthusiasm for the BET AWARDS 06. The lucky winner receives an all-expense trip for two to this year's show plus $2,500 in spending money and an opportunity to co-present the Viewers' Choice Award.

Encore telecasts of the 2006 BET AWARDS are set for:
Friday, June 30th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT
Tuesday, July 4th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT
Sunday, July 9th @ 7:30 p.m. ET/PT

BET will also offer up other tasty appetizers to tantalize the palette before the show including:

* Exclusive '06 BET AWARDS content available on BET.com's broadband
product BET on Blast, including artist interviews, honoree profiles and
behind-the-scenes access, plus a live video stream of the exciting BET
Awards red carpet arrivals.

* A new category called the BET J Cool Like That Award, named for BET's
newly re-launched sister network (formerly BET Jazz) which offers adult-
oriented fare for sophisticated tastes.

* BET Awards interactivity "on-the-go" for BET Mobile customers with
mobile fan clubs for cellular phone users.

The following is a complete list of the 2006 BET AWARDS nominees and categories:

Best Female Hip Hop Best Male Hip Hop Best Collaboration
(Song Title)
Missy Elliott 50 Cent Beyonce f/ Slim Thug
Lil' Kim Busta Rhymes (Check on It-Pink Panther)
Remy Ma Common Bow Wow f/Ciara (Like You)
Shawnna T.I. Busta Rhymes
Trina Kanye West f/ Mary J. Blige, Rah
Digga, Missy Elliott,
Lloyd Banks, Papoose & DMX
(Touch It - Remix)
Jamie Foxx f/ Ludacris
(Unpredicatble)
Kanye West f/Jamie Foxx
(Gold Digger)

Best Female R&B Best Male R&B Best Group
Beyonce Chris Brown Black Eyed Peas
Mary J. Blige Jamie Foxx Destiny's Child
Mariah Carey Anthony Hamilton Floetry
Keyshia Cole Ne-Yo Mary Mary
India.Arie Prince Three 6 Mafia

Best New Artist Best Gospel Artist Video of the Year
(Song Title)
Chris Brown Yolanda Adams Beyonce f/ Slim Thug
Chamillionaire Kirk Franklin (Check on It)
Ne-Yo Mary Mary Mary J. Blige (Be Without
Rihanna Smokie Norful You)
Paul Wall CeCe Winans Busta Rhymes f/ Mary J.
Blige, Rah Digga, Missy
Elliott, Lloyd Banks,
Papoose & DMX (Touch It -
Remix)
Missy Elliott f/Ciara
(Lose Control)
R. Kelly (Trapped In the
Closet)
Kanye West f/Jamie Foxx
(Gold Digger)

Best Actress Best Actor Female Athlete of the Year
(Sport)
Tichina Arnold Chris Bridges Laila Ali (Boxing)
Taraji P. Henson (Ludacris) Chamique Holdsclaw
Thandie Newton Don Cheadle (Basketball)
Queen Latifah Jamie Foxx Lisa Leslie (Basketball)
Alfre Woodard Terrence Howard Sheryl Swoopes
Denzel Washington (Basketball)
Venus Williams (Tennis)

Male Athlete of the Year (Sport) BET J Cool Like That
Kobe Bryant (Basketball) Eric Benet
LeBron James (Basketball) Anthony Hamilton
Shaquille O'Neal (Basketball) Heather Headley
Tiger Woods (Golf) Kindred the Family Soul
Vince Young (Football) Corinne Bailey Rae

BET.com Viewers' Choice (Song Title)
Chris Brown - Yo (Excuse Me Miss)
Busta Rhymes (Touch It)
Mariah Carey (Don't Forget About Us)
Keyshia Cole (Love)
Ne-Yo (So Sick)
T.I. (What You Know)

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 81 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.

ABOUT COSSETTE PRODUCTIONS

Cossette Productions is Hollywood's most unique and comprehensive production company, with more than 35 years of experience offering diverse and creative consultation, direction and execution of entertainment production. To its credit, Cossette Productions has produced 33 years of the Grammy Awards telecast; eight weekly television series totaling more than 500 episodes; numerous award-winning Broadway theatrical plays and musicals; 50 major performance specials, award shows and celebrity tributes; corporate events for the nation's largest companies; and countless made-for-television motion pictures and mini-series.

Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Amber Koger of Bobbi Marcus PR, +1-310-889-9200,
amber@bobbimarcuspr.com, for BET; or Anne Williams of BET, +1-202-608-2063,
anne.williams@bet.net

Web site: http://www.bet.com/

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