Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar Lead 2023 NAACP Image Awards Music Nominations

Both Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar released well-received, commercially successful albums in 2022. The NAACP Image Award recognized the “Freedom” collaborators for their work last year with multiple nominations.

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar lead the civil rights organization’s list of recording nominees for the 54th NAACP Image Awards with 5 nods each. The Outstanding Album category includes Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers and Bey’s Renaissance.

Ari Lennox’s age/sex/location, Chris Brown’s Breezy (Deluxe), and PJ Morton’s Watch the Sun are also up for Outstanding Album. In addition, Beyoncé will compete for Outstanding Female Artist while Kendrick Lamar’s name is listed in the Outstanding Male Artist section.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever scored 12 nominations across the motion picture categories. The Netflix streaming service earned 15 total nominations for A Jazzman’s Blues, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and other productions.

Abbott Elementary received 9 nominations, the most for a program in the television + streaming categories. Penguin Random House and Harper Collins top the literary nominations categories with 9 nods, respectively.

The Public Gets To Vote On The 54th NAACP Image Award Winners

“This year’s nominees have conveyed a wide range of authentic stories and diverse experiences that have resonated with many in our community, and we’re proud to recognize their outstanding achievements and performances,” said Derrick Johnson, President/CEO of the NAACP.

A public vote determines the winners of the 54th NAACP Image Awards. The voting period closes on February 10, 2023. Winners will be revealed during a televised broadcast on February 25, 2023, on the BET network.

“We take pride in recognizing the trailblazing achievements and artistry of this year’s esteemed nominees and celebrating the powerful legacy of the NAACP,” said Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET.

Connie Orlando continues, “We look forward to bringing the Image Awards back to Pasadena in front of a live audience and delivering unforgettable moments that epitomize the brilliance of the Black community.”

Check on some of the nominees for the 54th NAACP Image Awards below. To see the full list of nominations and to cast a vote for the possible winners visit naacpimageawards.net.

Select 54th NAACP Image Awards Nominees:

Entertainer Of The Year

Angela Bassett
Mary J. Blige
Quinta Brunson

Viola Davis
Zendaya

Outstanding Male Artist

Brent Faiyaz – Wasteland (Lost Kids)
Burna Boy – Love, Damini (Atlantic Records)
Chris Brown – Breezy (Deluxe) (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)

Drake – Honestly, Nevermind (OVO/Republic Records)
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)

Outstanding Female Artist

Ari Lennox – age/sex/location (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Beyoncé – Renaissance (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)
Chlöe – Surprise (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment)

Jazmine Sullivan – Hurt Me So Good (RCA Records)
SZA – S.O.S. (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)

Outstanding Album

age/sex/location – Ari Lennox (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Breezy (Deluxe) – Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar (pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records)