By MESFIN FEKADU, AP Music Writer
Legendary singer Anita Baker will be honored at the 2018 BET Awards, which will be hosted Sunday by Jamie Foxx and feature performances by Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and Migos.
DJ Khaled is the leading nominee with six at the show, kicking off at 8 p.m. Eastern from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
In this June 26, 2011 file photo, Anita Baker appears at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. Baker will be honored at the 2018 BET Awards on Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
Baker, who dominated the R&B charts from the early ’80s to mid-90s with smooth songs like “Sweet Love” and “Giving You the Best That I Got,” will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has won eight Grammy Awards.
Cardi B, who is pregnant and will not attend the show, is nominated twice for the top prize — video of the year — with the songs “Bodak Yellow” and “Finesse Remix” with Bruno Mars. She has a strong chance of picking up best female hip-hop artist, an award Remy Ma won last year, ending Minaj’s seven-year winning streak in the category.
Drake is also a double nominee for video of the year with “God’s Plan” and “Walk It Talk It” with Migos. Others nominees are Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” and “Wild Thoughts” by DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller.
SZA, who will attend the show, is nominated for four awards, including best new artist and best female R&B/pop artist, pitting her against Beyonce, Rihanna, H.E.R. and Kehlani.
Performers at the show include Miguel, J. Cole, Janelle Monae, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, H.E.R., Daniel Caesar, Jay Rock, Yolanda Adams, Ledisi and newcomer Ella Mai, whose R&B hit “Boo’d Up” continues to climb the pop charts.
The BET Awards normally hands its Humanitarian Award to one person, but six individuals will receive the honor Sunday. Dubbed “Humanitarian Heroes,” the network will award James Shaw Jr., who wrestled an assault-style rifle away from a gunman in a Tennessee Waffle House in April; Anthony Borges, the 15-year-old student who was shot five times and is credited with saving the lives of at least 20 other students during February massacre in Florida; Mamoudou Gassama, who scaled an apartment building to save a child dangling from a balcony last month in Paris; Naomi Wadler, the 11-year-old who gave a memorable and influential speech at March for Our Lives; Justin Blackman, the only student to walk out of his high school in North Carolina during the nationwide student walkout to protest gun violence in March and journalist and activist Shaun King.
Tyler Perry, John Legend, Tyra Banks, Kevin Hart, Chloe x Halle, Yvonne Orji and Bobby Brown are set to present awards.
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