From starring in the movie Soul Plane to appearing in eBay ads on TV, Kevin Hart has taken on some high-profile gigs over the years. But now the actor and comedian has announced that he will be the host of the 2011 BET Awards. 

In short, Kevin Hart is stepping up his game to a new level once again.

Way back when he was selling sneakers at a chain store in his hometown of Philadelphia, the aspiring comic was already nurturing visions of stardom. "Shoe salesman doesn't define who I was," he says with a smile. "Shoe guru more explains it." After some successful open mic appearances, the guru quit his day job and went hard in pursuit of his dreams.

Hart's leap of faith has paid off handsomely, with a series of credits in both TV and the movies, including the comedy specials I’m a Grown Little Man and Seriously Funny. His latest stand-up special, Laugh at My Pain, will be hitting theaters this fall. But this BET Awards hosting gig will be a brand-new kind of challenge.

"I want to make sure I'm the conversation the next day," he says.

The “Grown Little Man” will have some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of previous BET Awards hosts Queen Latifah, Will and Jada Smith, Mo’Nique, and Jamie Foxx. But is Kevin losing heart? Not a chance.

"I'm excited to join a group of that caliber... As far as the people who did it before me, they were warm-ups," he says boldly. "They were good. I laughed. But they ain't make nobody cry."

To see if Hart really is the "host with the most," be sure catch the 2011 BET Awards live on June 26 8P/7C.