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Kanye West - Expect the unexpected from Mr. West when it comes to awards shows. With the brilliant rapper/producer/auteur nominated in four categories (Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration, Video Director of the Year), anything can happen.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Rihanna - The 2010 BET Awards Viewer’s Choice winner vies for her second consecutive W in the category. Ri-Ri is also nominated in two other categories: Best Female R&B Artist and Best Collaboration.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Nicki Minaj - Young Money’s first lady looks to put a crown on an unforgettable year by claiming wins in the Best Female Hip Hop Artist and Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice categories.(Photo: Robb D. Cohen/ Retna ltd)

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Chris Brown - After last year’s epic Michael Jackson tribute performance, C. Breezy tops this year’s class with an unmatched six nominations—Best Male R&B Artist, Best Collaboration (twice!), Video of the Year, Best Actor and Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice.

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Wiz Khalifa - The Pittsburgh rapper is competing for the Best New Artist award thanks to a breakout year that saw Wiz release a chart-topping hit (“Black & Yellow”) and a blazing debut album.

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Beyoncé - Facing stiff competition in 2011, the three-time Best Female R&B Artist winner goes for her first win in the category since 2009.

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Alicia Keys - No stranger to the winner’s circle, A. Keys goes for back-to-back wins in the Best Female R&B Artist category.(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Photo By Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

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Keri Hilson - The former BET Best New Artist winner stood out among all the pretty girls who rocked R&B in 2009. Now she’ll be vying for Best Female R&B Artist honors to mark another outstanding year.

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R Kelly - Adding another critically acclaimed album, Love Letter, to his discography, the R&B legend gave his fans one more reason to root for him to win his first BET Centric Award.

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Halle Berry - The three-time BET Best Actress Award winner is vying for an unprecedented fourth victory in the category.(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for AFI)

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Rick Ross - Few rappers have had a more impressive year than the Bawse. With a smash album in Teflon Don and a rap anthem in “B.M.F (Blowin’ Money Fast),” Ricky Rozay has certainly put in the work to justify his nomination as Best Male Hip Hop Artist.

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Willow Smith - Will and Jada Smith’s baby girl took the music world by storm with her ubiquitous hit “Whip My Hair.” A win in the Best New Artist category would solidify her position as pop music’s next superstar.

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Trey Songz - This year Trigga is gunning for back-to-back wins in the Best Male R&B Artist category. Plus he’s got his sights set on the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice award for his infectious club banger “Bottoms Up” featuring Nicki Minaj.

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The British heartthrob warranted his nomination as Best Actor with an impressive year that included leading roles in action films Losers and Takers and the Golden Globe–nominated mini-series Luther.(Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images

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Serena Williams - The BET Subway Sportswoman of the Year nominee was able to win two Grand Slam titles—even while battling injury.(Photo: Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup)

Photo By Photo: Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup

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Diddy-Dirty Money - The Sean Combs–led trio is nominated for Best Group, and they have certainly provided a trainload of hits to take that award home.(Photo: Michael Becker/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Jaden Smith - Jaden Smith sure takes after his dad, matinee idol Will Smith. The second-generation actor proved that he’s a bankable box-office star too, thanks to his breakout role in The Karate Kid remake. Now he’s up for BET’s YoungStars Award.(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Lil Wayne - The self-proclaimed “best rapper alive” is poised to take home multiple BET Awards (Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice, Best Collaboration) after providing fans with another six-foot, seven-foot, eight-foot bunch of buzz-worthy material.(Photo: Todd Owyoung/Retna Ltd.)

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Jamie Foxx - In this year’s Best Actor category, Foxx faces off against some solid competition, but it won’t be easy to match his work in films like Valentine's Day and Due Date.(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)

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Drake - Drizzy made good on all the hype surrounding his breakthrough with a stellar debut album, Thank Me Later, and a long run of A-list collabos. Now he’s up for the Best Male Hip Hop Artist category.

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Cee-Lo Green - While Cee-Lo Green nabbed a BET Award in 2007 as one-half of the duo Gnarls Barkley, the ATL singer/rapper is out to claim some solo shine as he competes for this year’s Best Male R&B Artist award.

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Bruno Mars - Chart-topping hits like “Just the Way You Are” and “Grenade” earned this California-based singer/songwriter two nominations at the 2011 BET Awards: one for Best New Artist and one for Best Male R&B Artist.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)

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Mary Mary - It’s been two years since this sister act took home BET’s Best Gospel Award, so it’s a good bet the duo would like to be “Walking” off with a win at the end of the night.

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LeBron James - The two-time NBA MVP made the Miami Heat the most talked-about team in the league. With another MVP-worthy season under his belt, Bron clearly deserves his nomination for BET Subway Sportsman of the Year.(Photo: Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

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Waka Flocka Flame - The ATL rapper will be trying to nab his first BET Award, as his hard-hitting single “No Hands” is up for Best Collaboration.(Photos: Adrian Sidney/ PictureGroup)