By Mesfin Fekadu, Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj are the top contenders at the upcoming BET Awards with six nominations each.
Brown will compete twice for video of the year with the hits "Loyal" and "New Flame" at the June 28 show in Los Angeles, BET announced Monday. Minaj is up for the top prize with her eye-popping "Anaconda" music video.
Beyonce and Lil Wayne follow with four nominations each. Beyonce's "7/11" also will compete for video of the year, along with Big Sean's "IDFWU" and Common and John Legend's Oscar-winning "Glory," from the film "Selma."
Brown's nominations include best male R&B/pop artist and viewers' choice award. He's nominated twice for best collaboration thanks to "Loyal," which features Lil Wayne and Tyga, and "New Flame," which co-stars Usher and Rick Ross.
Minaj is nominated for best female hip-hop artist, best group as a member of Young Money and best collaboration for the remix of "No Love" with August Alsina. She's nominated twice for the viewer's choice award with her hit "Only" and as a guest on Rae Sremmurd's "Throw Some Mo."
Other nominees include The Weeknd, Fetty Wap, FKA twigs and Sam Smith, who will compete for best new artist. "Empire" stars Taraji P. Henson and Jussie Smollett are nominated for acting awards, while Serena Williams and Floyd Mayweather Jr. earned sports nominations.
"This year's nominees showcase a diverse group of talent that includes longstanding entertainers, breakout performers, and outstanding athletes," Stephen Hill, BET's president of programming, said in a statement.
The BET Awards will air live from the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More