By Mesfin Fekadu, AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Hip-hop star Cardi B is walking into the 2019 BET Awards as the most nominated act with seven, while late rapper Nipsey Hussle scored a posthumous nomination.
BET told the Associated Press late Thursday that Cardi B's nominations include two for the top prize — video of the year — with her hits "Money" and "Please Me," with Bruno Mars. She is also competing for best female hip-hop artist, the viewer's choice award and album of the year with her Grammy-winning major-label debut, "Invasion of Privacy."
Hussle, who was shot to death on March 31 in what police said was a personal dispute outside his South Los Angeles clothing store, picked up a best male hip-hop artist nomination. His competition includes J. Cole, Travis Scott, Meek Mill, 21 Savage and Drake, who is behind Cardi B with five nominations.
Drake's No. 1 hit, "Nice for What," is up for video of the year along with Childish Gambino's "This Is America," the Carters' "Apes(asterisk)(asterisk)t," 21 Savage and J. Cole's "A Lot," and the two Cardi B clips.
The BET Awards will take place June 23 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Beyonce, who scored four nominations, is up for best female R&B/pop artist along with Ella Mai, H.E.R., Solange, SZA and Teyana Taylor. Best male R&B/pop artist nominees are Mars, Gambino, Chris Brown, John Legend, Khalid and Anderson .Paak.
Cardi B was named best female hip-hop artist at last year's BET Awards, and she'll defend her title against Nicki Minaj, Remy Ma, Megan Thee Stallion, Kash Doll and Lizzo. Cardi B is a double nominee in best collaboration thanks to the hits "I Like It," with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, and "Please Me," with Mars.
Her competition in album of the year includes the Carters' "Everything Is Love," Scott's "Astroworld," Mill's "Championships" and Mai's "Ella Mai."
Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" won the best rap album Grammy Award in February, beating out Hussle's major-label debut as well as albums from Scott, Pusha T and the late Mac Miller.
The 2019 BET Awards will air live across seven Viacom networks in the United States, including BET, MTV, VH1, Logo, MTV 2, MTV Classic and BET HER.
A list of nominees at the 2019 Bet Awards, to air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on June 23:
— Video of the year: 21 Savage featuring J. Cole, "A Lot"; Cardi B, "Money"; Cardi B and Bruno Mars, "Please Me"; Childish Gambino, "This Is America"; Drake, "Nice for What"; The Carters, "Apes(asterisk)(asterisk)t."
— Best female R&B/pop artist: Beyoncé; Ella Mai; H.E.R.; Solange; SZA; Teyana Taylor.
— Best male R&B/pop artist: Anderson .Paak; Bruno Mars; Childish Gambino; Chris Brown; John Legend; Khalid.
— Best female hip-hop artist: Cardi B; Kash Doll; Lizzo; Megan Thee Stallion; Nicki Minaj; Remy Ma.
— Best male hip-hop artist: 21 Savage; Drake; J. Cole; Meek Mill; Nipsey Hussle; Travis Scott.
— Best new artist: Blueface; City Girls; Juice WRLD; Lil Baby; Queen Naija.
— Best group: Chloe x Halle; City Girls; Lil Baby and Gunna; Migos; The Carters.
— Best collaboration: 21 Savage featuring J. Cole, "A Lot"; Cardi B and Bruno Mars, "Please Me"; Cardi B featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny, "I Like It"; H.E.R. featuring Bryson Tiller, "Could've Been"; Travis Scott featuring Drake, "Sicko Mode"; Tyga featuring Offset, "Taste."
— Album of the year: Cardi B, "Invasion of Privacy"; Ella Mai, "Ella Mai"; Meek Mill, "Championships"; The Carters, "Everything Is Love"; Travis Scott, "Astroworld."
— Viewers' choice award: Cardi B featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny, "I Like It"; Childish Gambino, "This Is America"; Drake, "In My Feelings"; Ella Mai, "Trip"; J. Cole, "Middle Child"; Travis Scott featuring Drake, "Sicko Mode."
— Dr. Bobby Jones best gospel/inspirational award: Erica Campbell featuring Warryn Campbell, "All of My Life"; Fred Hammond, "Tell Me Where It Hurts"; Kirk Franklin, "Love Theory"; Snoop Dogg featuring Rance Allen, "Blessing Me Again"; Tori Kelly featuring Kirk Franklin, "Never Alone."
— Best actress: Issa Rae; Regina Hall; Regina King; Taraji P. Henson; Tiffany Haddish; Viola Davis.
— Best actor: Anthony Anderson; Chadwick Boseman; Denzel Washington; Mahershala Ali; Michael B. Jordan; Omari Hardwick.
— Best movie: "Blackkklansman"; "Creed 2"; "If Beale Street Could Talk"; "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"; "The Hate U Give."
— Youngstars award: Caleb McLaughlin; Lyric Ross; Marsai Martin; Michael Rainey Jr.; Miles Brown.
— Sportswoman of the year: Allyson Felix; Candace Parker; Naomi Osaka; Serena Williams; Simone Biles.
— Sportsman of the year: Kevin Durant; LeBron James; Odell Beckham Jr.; Stephen Curry; Tiger Woods.
— BET HER award: Alicia Keys, "Raise a Man"; Ciara, "Level Up"; H.E.R., "Hard Place"; Janelle Monae, "PYNK"; Queen Naija, "Mama's Hand"; Teyana Taylor, "Rose in Harlem."
— Video director of the year: Benny Boom; Colin Tilley; Dave Meyers; Hype Williams; Karena Evans.
— Best international act: AKA (South Africa); Aya Nakamura (France); Burna Boy (Nigeria); Dave (U.K.); Dosseh (France); Giggs (U.K.); Mr Eazi (Nigeria).
— Best new international act: Headie One (U.K.); Jok'Air (France); Nesly (France); Octavian (U.K.); Sho Madjozi (South Africa); Teni (Nigeria).
SCHROM x Yacht Club and Be Electric Studios Launch Electric XR for Virtual Production
SCHROM x Yacht Club, a full-service live-action, tabletop, and postproduction company, has teamed with Be Electric Studios, a soundstage, equipment rental, and virtual production company, to launch Electric XR, a virtual production collective.
Industry veteran Thomas Rossano will lead the new venture, which provides advanced virtual production solutions across multiple facilities. He brings over 25 years of experience in live-action, tabletop, postproduction and talent curation to enhance Electric XR’s offerings as a resource for brands and agencies, as well as other production companies in need of virtual production solutions. Additionally Rossano continues to serve as EP at XR New York (XR-NY), a role he’s held since December 2022. SCHROM x Yacht Club originally established XR-NY to help provide XR services for third-party rentals. While XR-NY will continue to function independently for SCHROM X Yacht Club, it now operates under the Electric XR umbrella.
Rossano’s expertise spans producing live-action commercials, branded content, interactive and experiential content. In addition to leading Electric XR, he holds responsibilities at SCHROM x Yacht Club which include driving business development, collaborating with sales reps and expanding the company’s creative talent network. Rossano’s career includes serving as an exec producer at Hungry Man for about 11 years, right from that company’s inception. He then went on to become a partner at Station Film where he also had a lengthy tenure. Later he was a partner at PRISM. Then after the pandemic hit, he became a freelance EP for nearly two years, looking into opportunities in virtual production, which led him to XR NY and now Electric XR. Over the years, he has produced high-profile... Read More