Entertainment
Keke Palmer, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar & More Win Big at 2025 NAACP Image Awards: Full List

Keke Palmer was named entertainer of the year at the 2025 NAACP Image Awards, which were held at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif. on Saturday (Feb. 22). The other nominees in the category were Cynthia Erivo, Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe.
Palmer also won outstanding host in a reality/reality competition, game show or variety series or special for the reboot of Password, but her win in the top category was considered a surprise. In accepting her award, she made clear she expected the red-hot Erivo to win.
The NAACP presented dozens of awards, most of them prior to the televised ceremony. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, which had won a Grammy for album of the year on Feb. 2, was voted outstanding album. It’s Bey’s fourth win in that category, which puts her in a tie with Whitney Houston for the most awards in that category in the show’s history. Beyoncé also won outstanding female artist for a record-extending eighth time.
Chris Brown won outstanding male artist for the fourth time, which puts him in tie with Usher for second place among all winners in this category. Luther Vandross leads with seven wins. (Vandross’ continuing legacy was seen when Luther: Never Too Much won for outstanding documentary – motion pictures.) Brown won two additional awards. “Residuals” won outstanding soul/R&B song.“Hmmm,” featuring Davido, took outstanding international song.
Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which won five Grammys, including record and song of the year, won outstanding hip-hop/rap song and outstanding music video/visual album.
Doechii won outstanding new artist. She was Grammy-nominated for best new artist, but lost to Chappell Roan. This is the sixth year in a row that the NAACP winner in this category was at least nominated for the Grammy for best new artist.
The Six Triple Eight won outstanding motion picture. This is the second film directed by Tyler Perry to win in this category, following For Colored Girls (2011). Denzel Washington, Taylor Hackford and Ryan Coogler have also directed two NAACP Image Award winners in this category.
Neither of the Black actors nominated for lead acting Oscars this year won in their categories at the NAACP Image Awards. Erivo (Wicked) lost to Kerry Washington for The Six Triple Eight. Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) lost to Martin Lawrence for Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Three notable second-generation stars won awards (along with their famous parents). Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé’s 13-year-old daughter, won for outstanding character voice performance, motion picture for Mufasa: The Lion King. Malcolm Washington, the son of Denzel Washington, won for outstanding breakthrough creative, motion picture, for The Piano Lesson. His father won outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture for Gladiator II. Damon Wayans Jr. won outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for Poppa’s House. His father Damon Wayans wonthe lead actor prize for that same show.
Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was… won outstanding variety show (series or special). On the Netflix special, Foxx shed light on his April 2023 health emergency. He revealed that he had a brain bleed that led to a stroke which resulted in his hospitalization.
The Prince of Death Row Records, about singer October London, won outstanding short-form series or special – reality/nonfiction/documentary.
The Jennifer Hudson Show won outstanding talk series, while the show’s host won outstanding host in a talk or news/information (series or special), individual or ensemble. Hudson won entertainer of the year at the NAACP show three years ago.
Cliff “Method Man” Smith won outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for Power Book II: Ghost. Smith, a member of the East Coast hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, has had significant success in both hip-hop and acting.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris received the Chairman’s Award. Dave Chappelle became the first comedian to receive the President’s Award. The BET Media Group won the NAACP Founders Award.
The Wayans Family received the Hall of Fame Award. In addition, three family members won individual honors. As noted, Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. both won for Poppa’s House. Marlon Wayans won outstanding guest performance for Bel Air.
Ledisi, joined by a gospel choir, performed the gospel standard “How I Got Over” in a special segment remembering the victims of the recent wildfires, which devastated the historically-Black neighborhood of Altadena, Calif. Clara Ward wrote the song, which has been performed by such greats as Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin.
Maze featuring Frankie Beverly’s “The Golden Time of Day” soundtracked the In Memoriam spot, which included Beverly. There was a separate tribute to Quincy Jones, which included clips of such signature works “Ai No Corrida,” Brothers Johnson’s “Stomp!” and the funky instrumental theme to TV’s Sanford & Son.
Here’s a complete list of the nominations in key categories in the 2025 NAACP Image Awards, with winners marked.
Entertainer of the year
Cynthia Erivo
WINNER: Keke Palmer
Kendrick Lamar
Kevin Hart
Shannon Sharpe
Recording categories
Outstanding album
Alligator Bites Never Heal — Doechii (Capitol Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Cape Town to Cairo — PJ Morton (Morton Records/EMPIRE)
Coming Home — Usher (mega/gamma.)
WINNER: Cowboy Carter — Beyoncé (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment LLC)
Glorious — GloRilla (Collective Music Group/Interscope Records)
Outstanding soul/R&B song
“16 CARRIAGES” — Beyoncé (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment LLC)
“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” — Coco Jones (Def Jam Recordings)
“I Found You” — PJ Morton (Morton Records/EMPIRE)
WINNER: “Residuals” — Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
“Saturn” — SZA (RCA Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Outstanding hip hop/rap song
“Mamushi” — Megan Thee Stallion feat. Yuki Chiba (Hot Girl Productions LLC/Warner Music Group)
“Murdergram Deux” — LL Cool J feat. Eminem (Def Jam Recordings)
“Noid” — Tyler, the Creator (Columbia Records)
WINNER: “Not Like Us” — Kendrick Lamar (pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records)
“Yeah Glo!” — GloRilla (Collective Music Group/Interscope Records)
Outstanding male artist
WINNER: Chris Brown (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
J. Cole (Dreamville/Interscope Records)
Kendrick Lamar (pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records)
October London (Death Row Records/gamma.)
Usher (mega/gamma.)
Outstanding female artist
WINNER: Beyoncé (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment LLC)
Coco Jones (Def Jam Recordings)
Doechii (Capitol Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
GloRilla (Collective Music Group/Interscope Records)
H.E.R. (RCA Records)
Outstanding new artist
WINNER: Doechii (Capitol Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
Myles Smith (RCA Records/Sony Music Entertainment)
Samoht (Affective Music)
Shaboozey (American Dogwood/Empire)
Tyla (Epic Records)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (traditional)
WINNER: Adam Blackstone & Fantasia — “Summertime” (BASSic Black Entertainment Records/Anderson Music Group/EMPIRE)
Leela James feat. Kenyon Dixon — “Watcha Done Now” (Shesangz Music, Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (US) LLC)
Maverick City Music feat. Miles Minnick — “God Problems (Not by Power)” (Tribl Records)
Muni Long & Mariah Carey — “Made for Me” (Supergiant Records/Def Jam Recordings)
Sounds of Blackness feat. Jamecia Bennett & Buddy McLain — “Thankful” (McLain Music, LLC)
Outstanding duo, group or collaboration (contemporary)
FLO & GloRilla — “In My Bag” (Island Records)
GloRilla feat. Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Kierra Sheard, Chandler Moore — “RAIN DOWN ON ME” (Collective Music Group/Interscope Records)
Usher & Burna Boy — “Coming Home” (mega/gamma.)
Victoria Monét feat. Usher — “SOS” (Sex on Sight) (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
WINNER: Wizkid feat. Brent Faiyaz — “Piece of My Heart” (RCA Records/Sony Music International/Starboy Entertainment)
Outstanding gospel/Christian album
Heart of a Human — DOE (Life Room Label/RCA Inspiration)
WINNER: Live Breathe Fight — Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)
Still Karen — Karen Clark Sheard (Karew Records/Motown Gospel)
Sunny Days — Yolanda Adams (Epic Records)
The Maverick Way Reimagined — Maverick City Music (Tribl Records)
Outstanding international song
“Close” — Skip Marley (Def Jam Recordings)
WINNER: “Hmmm” — Chris Brown feat. Davido (RCA Records/Chris Brown Entertainment)
“Jump” — Tyla (Epic Records)
“Love Me JeJe” — Tems (RCA Records/Since ‘93)
“Piece of My Heart” — Wizkid feat. Brent Faiyaz (RCA Records/Sony Music International/Starboy Entertainment)
Outstanding music video/visual album
“Alright” — Victoria Monét (RCA Records/Lovett Music)
“Alter Ego (ALTERnate Version)” — Doechii, JT (Capitol Records/Top Dawg Entertainment)
“Boy Bye” — Chloe Bailey (Columbia Records/Parkwood Entertainment LLC)
WINNER: “Not Like Us” — Kendrick Lamar (pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records)
“Yeah Glo!” — GloRilla (Collective Music Group/Interscope Records)
Outstanding soundtrack/compilation album
Bob Marley: One Love (Soundtrack) (Tuff Gong/Island Records)
Genius: MLK/X (Songs from the Original Series) (Hollywood Records)
Reasonable Doubt (Season 2) (Original Soundtrack) (Hollywood Records)
The Book of Clarence (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Geneva Club under exclusive license to Roc Nation Records, LLC)
WINNER: Wicked: The Soundtrack (Republic Records)
Outstanding gospel/Christian song
“Church Doors” — Yolanda Adams (Epic Records)
“Do It Anyway” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard (TeeLee Records/Motown Gospel)
“God Problems (Not by Power)” — Maverick City Music feat. Miles Minnick (Tribl Records)
“I Prayed for You (Said a Prayer)” MAJOR. — (NowThatsMAJOR/MNRK Music Group)
WINNER: “Working for Me” — Tamela Mann (Tillymann Music Group)
Outstanding jazz album
Creole Orchestra — Etienne Charles (Culture Shock Music)
Epic Cool — Kirk Whalum (Artistry Music)
Javon & Nikki Go to the Movies — Javon Jackson and Nikki Giovanni (Solid Jackson Records)
On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute — Matthew Whitaker (MOCAT Records)
WINNER: Portrait — Samara Joy (Verve Records)
Outstanding original score for television/motion picture
Challengers (Original Score) (Milan Records)
Dune: Part Two (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (WaterTower Music)
WINNER: Star Wars: The Acolyte (Original Soundtrack) (Walt Disney Records)
The American Society of Magical Negroes (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Back Lot Music)
The Book of Clarence (Original Motion Picture Score) (Milan Records)
Motion Picture Categories
Outstanding motion picture
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Sony Pictures)
Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount Pictures)
The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
WINNER: The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Wicked (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding actor in a motion picture
André Holland — Exhibiting Forgiveness (Roadside Attractions)
Colman Domingo — Sing Sing (A24)
John David Washington — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
Kingsley Ben-Adir — Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount Pictures)
WINNER: Martin Lawrence — Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Sony Pictures)
Outstanding actress in a motion picture
Cynthia Erivo — Wicked (Universal Pictures)
WINNER: Kerry Washington — The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Lashana Lynch — Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount Pictures)
Lupita Nyong’o — A Quiet Place: Day One (Paramount Pictures)
Regina King — Shirley (Netflix)
Outstanding supporting actor in a motion picture
Brian Tyree Henry — The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios)
Corey Hawkins — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
David Alan Grier — The American Society of Magical Negroes (Focus Features)
WINNER: Denzel Washington — Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)
Samuel L. Jackson — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
Outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Exhibiting Forgiveness (Roadside Attractions)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Danielle Deadwyler — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
WINNER: Ebony Obsidian — The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Lynn Whitfield — Albany Road (Faith Filmworks)
Outstanding independent motion picture
Albany Road (Faith Filmworks)
Exhibiting Forgiveness (Roadside Attractions)
Rob Peace (Republic Pictures)
WINNER: Sing Sing (A24)
We Grown Now (Sony Pictures Classics)
Outstanding international motion picture
El lugar de la otra (Netflix)
WINNER: Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films)
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (NEON)
The Wall Street Boy, Kipkemboi (ArtMattan Films)
Outstanding breakthrough performance in a motion picture
Brandon Wilson — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Clarence Maclin — Sing Sing (A24)
Danielle Deadwyler — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
WINNER: Ebony Obsidian — The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Ryan Destiny — The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding ensemble cast in a motion picture
Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount Pictures)
The Book of Clarence (Sony Pictures)
The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
WINNER: The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)
Wicked (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding animated motion picture
WINNER: Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Kung Fu Panda 4 (DreamWorks Animation)
Moana 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Piece by Piece (Focus Features)
The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation)
Outstanding character voice–over performance – motion picture
Aaron Pierre — Mufasa: The Lion King (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Anika Noni Rose — Mufasa: The Lion King (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Ayo Edebiri — Inside Out 2 (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
WINNER: Blue Ivy Carter — Mufasa: The Lion King (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Lupita Nyong’o — The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation)
Outstanding short form (live action)
Chocolate with Sprinkles (AFI)
Definitely Not a Monster
If They Took Us Back
My Brother & Me (MeowBark Films)
WINNER: Superman Doesn’t Steal
Outstanding short form (animated)
if(fy) (OTB/The Hidden Hand Studios)
Nate & John (Unity Animation Project, LLC)
WINNER: Peanut Headz: Black History Toonz “Jackie Robinson” (Exhibit Treal Studios)
Self (Pixar Animation Studios)
Walk in the Light (419 Studios)
Outstanding breakthrough creative (motion picture)
David Fortune — Color Book (Tribeca Studios)
WINNER: Malcolm Washington — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
RaMell Ross — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Titus Kaphar — Exhibiting Forgiveness (Roadside Attractions)
Zoë Kravitz — Blink Twice (Amazon MGM Studios)
Outstanding youth performance in a motion picture
Anthony B. Jenkins — The Deliverance (Netflix)
Blake Cameron James — We Grown Now (Sony Pictures Classics)
Percy Daggs IV — Never Let Go (Lionsgate)
Jeremiah Daniels — Color Book (Tribeca Studios)
WINNER: Skylar Aleece Smith — The Piano Lesson (Netflix)
Outstanding cinematography in a motion picture
Andrés Arochi — Longlegs (NEON)
WINNER: Jomo Fray — Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Justin Derry — She Taught Love (Andscape)
Lachlan Milne — Exhibiting Forgiveness (Roadside Attractions)
Rob Hardy — The Book of Clarence (Sony Pictures)
Television + Streaming Categories
Outstanding comedy series
WINNER: Abbott Elementary (ABC)
How to Die Alone (Hulu)
Poppa’s House (CBS)
The Neighborhood (CBS)
The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding actor in a comedy series
Cedric The Entertainer — The Neighborhood (CBS)
WINNER: Damon Wayans — Poppa’s House (CBS)
David Alan Grier — St. Denis Medical (NBC)
Delroy Lindo — UnPrisoned (Hulu)
Mike Epps — The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding actress in a comedy series
Ayo Edebiri — The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Kerry Washington — UnPrisoned (Hulu)
Natasha Rothwell — How to Die Alone (Hulu)
WINNER: Quinta Brunson — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tichina Arnold — The Neighborhood (CBS)
Outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series
WINNER: Damon Wayans Jr. — Poppa’s House (CBS)
Giancarlo Esposito — The Gentlemen (Netflix)
Kenan Thompson — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Tyler James Williams — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
William Stanford Davis — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series
WINNER: Danielle Pinnock — Ghosts (CBS)
Ego Nwodim — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Janelle James — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Wanda Sykes — The Upshaws (Netflix)
Outstanding drama series
9-1-1 (ABC)
Bel-Air (Peacock)
WINNER: Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Found (NBC)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding actor in a drama series
Aldis Hodge — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Donald Glover — Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Amazon Prime Video)
Harold Perrineau — FROM (MGM+)
Jabari Banks — Bel-Air (Peacock)
WINNER: Michael Rainey Jr. — Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Outstanding actress in a drama series
Angela Bassett — 9-1-1 (ABC)
Emayatzy Corinealdi — Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
WINNER: Queen Latifah — The Equalizer (CBS)
Shanola Hampton — Found (NBC)
Zoe Saldaña — Lioness (Paramount+)
Outstanding supporting actor in a drama series
Adrian Holmes — Bel-Air (Peacock)
WINNER: Cliff “Method Man” Smith — Power Book II: Ghost (Starz)
Isaiah Mustafa — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Jacob Latimore — The Chi (Paramount+)
Morris Chestnut — Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)
Outstanding supporting actress in a drama series
Adjoa Andoh — Bridgerton (Netflix)
Coco Jones — Bel-Air (Peacock)
Golda Rosheuvel — Bridgerton (Netflix)
Lorraine Toussaint — The Equalizer (CBS)
WINNER: Lynn Whitfield — The Chi (Paramount+)
Outstanding limited television (series, special or movie)
WINNER: Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Griselda (Netflix)
Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
The Madness (Netflix)
Outstanding actor in a limited television (series, special or movie)
WINNER: Aaron Pierre — Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
Colman Domingo — The Madness (Netflix)
Kelvin Harrison Jr. — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Kevin Hart — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Laurence Fishburne — Clipped (FX/Hulu)
Outstanding actress in a limited television (series, special or movie)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)
WINNER: Naturi Naughton — Abducted at an HBCU: A Black Girl Missing Movie (Lifetime)
Sanaa Lathan — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)
Sofía Vergara — Griselda (Netflix)
Uzo Aduba — The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited television (series, special or movie)
Don Cheadle — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Luke James — Them: The Scare (Amazon Prime Video)
Ron Cephas Jones — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
WINNER: Samuel L. Jackson — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Terrence Howard — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited television (series, special or movie)
Brandy Norwood — Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
Jayme Lawson — Genius: MLK/X (National Geographic)
Loretta Devine — Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted By Love (Lifetime)
Sanaa Lathan — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+)
WINNER: Taraji P. Henson — Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (Peacock)
Outstanding news/information (series or special)
Black Men’s Summit (BET Media Group)
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
Laura Coates Live (CNN)
NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)
WINNER: The ReidOut (MSNBC)
Outstanding talk series
Hart to Heart (Peacock)
Sherri (Syndicated)
Tamron Hall Show (Syndicated)
WINNER: The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
The Shop Season 7 (YouTube)
Outstanding reality program, reality competition or game show (series)
WINNER: Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Password (NBC)
Rhythm + Flow (Netflix)
The Real Housewives of Potomac (Bravo)
Tia Mowry: My Next Act (WeTV)
Outstanding variety show (series or special)
BET Awards 2024 (BET Media Group)
Deon Cole: Ok, Mister (Netflix)
WINNER: Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was… (Netflix)
Katt Williams: Woke Foke (Netflix)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Outstanding children’s program
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
WINNER: Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
Sesame Street (MAX)
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin (Apple TV+)
Outstanding performance by a youth (series, special, television movie or limited–series)
Caleb Elijah — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
Graceyn Hollingsworth — Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
WINNER: Leah Sava Jeffries — Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
Melody Hurd — Cross (Amazon Prime Video)
TJ Mixson — The Madness (Netflix)
Outstanding host in a talk or news/information (series or special) – individual or ensemble
Abby Phillip — NewsNight with Abby Phillip (CNN)
Henry Louis Gates Jr. — Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (PBS)
WINNER: Jennifer Hudson — The Jennifer Hudson Show (Syndicated)
Joy Reid — The Reidout (MSNBC)
Sherri Shepherd — Sherri (Syndicated)
Outstanding host in a reality/reality competition, game show or variety (series or special) – individual or ensemble
Alfonso Ribeiro — Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
WINNER: Keke Palmer — Password (NBC)
Nick Cannon — The Masked Singer (FOX)
Steve Harvey — Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)
Taraji P. Henson — BET Awards 2024 (BET Media Group)
Outstanding guest performance
Ayo Edebiri — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Cree Summer — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Keegan-Michael Key — Abbott Elementary (ABC)
WINNER: Marlon Wayans — Bel-Air (Peacock)
Maya Rudolph — Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Outstanding animated series
Disney Jr.’s Ariel (Disney Jr.)
Everybody Still Hates Chris (Comedy Central)
WINNER: Gracie’s Corner (YouTube TV)
Iwájú (Disney+)
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel)
Outstanding character voice-over performance (television)
Angela Bassett — Orion and the Dark (Netflix)
WINNER: Cree Summer — Rugrats (Nickelodeon)
Cree Summer — The Legend of Vox Machina (Amazon Prime Video)
Dawnn Lewis — Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Keke Palmer — The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (Amazon Prime Video)
Outstanding short form series or special – reality/nonfiction /documentary
In the Margins (PBS)
NCAA Basketball on CBS Sports (CBS)
Roots of Resistance (PBS)
SC Featured (ESPN)
WINNER: The Prince of Death Row Records (YouTube TV)
Outstanding breakthrough creative (television)
WINNER: Ayo Edebiri — The Bear (FX/Hulu)
Diarra Kilpatrick — Diarra From Detroit (BET+)
Maurice Williams — The Madness (Netflix)
Thembi L. Banks — Young. Wild. Free. (BET+)
Vince Staples — The Vince Staples Show (Netflix)
Documentary categories
Outstanding documentary (film)
Daughters (Netflix)
Frida (Amazon MGM Studios)
King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones (Freestyle Digital Media)
WINNER: Luther: Never Too Much (Sony Music Entertainment/Sony Music Publishing/CNN Films)
The Greatest Night in Pop (Netflix)
Outstanding documentary (television)
WINNER: Black Barbie: A Documentary (Netflix)
Black Twitter: A People’s History (Hulu)
Gospel (PBS)
Simone Biles Rising (Netflix)
Sprint (Netflix)
Outstanding short form documentary (film)
Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps (American Masters and Firelight Media)
Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call (American Masters and Firelight Media)
WINNER: How to Sue the Klan
Judging Juries
Silent Killer (Kaila Love Jones Films)
Other Awards
Outstanding social media personality of the year
Kai Cenat
Keith Lee
RaeShanda Lias
WINNER: Shirley Raines
Tony Baker
The Mildred Bond Roxborough Social Justice Impact Award
WINNER: Jotaka Eaddy
Vanguard Award
WINNER: Essence
Entertainment
Tim Dillon Fired From Riyadh Comedy Festival for Saudi Slavery Remarks: ‘They Didn’t Like That’

Tim Dillon will not be traveling to the Riyadh Comedy Festival next month. The California comedian and host of The Tim Dillon Show podcast says he was fired from the Oct. 8 Saudi Arabia festival for comments he made about the country on Joe Rogan‘s podcast.
Besides losing a $375,000 payday (an amount Dillon confirmed to Rogan), he also lost a nearby warm-up gig in Dubai two nights before his Riyadh appearance after mixing up the Arab emirate with Abu Dhabi (the rival cities are both part of the United Arab Emirates).
“I mixed them up — apparently this is a big deal over there. This is a real problem,” he said on a recent episode of his podcast. “This is not a malicious slander. It’s a mistake.”
The Riyadh Comedy Festival — which mostly takes place at the Bakr Al-Sheddi Theatre and ANB Arena from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, features a number of top tier comedians including Dave Chappelle, Bill Burr, Gabriel Iglesias, Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Jeff Ross, Chris Distefano, Tom Segura, Jo Koy, Sam Morril, Hannibal Buress, Andrew Schultz, Sebastian Maniscalco, Whitney Cummings, Jimmy Carr, Louis CK, Pete Davidson, Russell Peters and Chris Tucker.
“Supposedly, MBS is a fan of mine,” Dillon said two weeks ago on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, referring to Saudi head of state Mohammed Bin Salman.
Dillon was reportedly fired from the festival for claiming that Saudi Arabia relies on slave labor — a controversial take on the country’s foreign laborers laws that some groups, including Human Rights Watch, have criticized as “slavery-like.” Legally, slavery was abolished in the Kingdom in the 1960s.
Dillon said the slavery jokes were a misunderstanding with his Saudi hosts, saying on his podcast, “I was defending them for having slaves. I literally said, ‘Slaves are hard workers and for the most part agreeable.’ But they didn’t like that.”
“You can literally support somebody too much,” he added. “In life, this happens. Too many compliments; too much support — and then they turn on you.”
He clarified his comments further, noting, “If i was a slave — not that I want to be one, but if I was and I built this really nice thing, I might say to my slave children, ‘Daddy built that,'” concluding, “Apparently this got to the people in Saudi Arabia and they were unhappy about it.”
The Riyadh Comedy Festival opens Sept. 25 with performances by Burr, Maz Jobrani and Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee from the Bad Friends podcast. More here.
Entertainment
Wilson Phillips, Kenny Loggins & More to Perform at Charity Concert Honoring Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys

Wilson Phillips, Kenny Loggins, David Pack of Ambrosia and more are set to perform at a charity concert celebrating the music of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys on Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara.
Wilson Phillips features two of Wilson’s daughters, Carnie and Wendy Wilson, as well as Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips. The concert will also feature Brian Wilson’s grandchildren, so it will spotlight three generations of the Wilson family.
The concert, dubbed An All-Star Tribute to the Music of Brian Wilson & Songs of The Beach Boys, will feature the Folk Orchestra of Santa Barbara. Other guest performers are expected to include The Honeys; former members of The Beach Boys and the Brian Wilson Band; and keyboardist Don Randi (The Wrecking Crew); with appearances by Rosemary Butler (Jackson Browne), Ken Stacey (Elton John), Hunter Hawkins (Kenny Loggins), Carly Smithson (American Idol), Alisan Porter (The Voice) and poet Stephen J. Kalinich. These acts will be backed by The Tribe Band, who will perform an array of Beach Boys favorites.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Here’s a link for tickets. VIP packages are also available.
Proceeds will be donated to Adam’s Angels, a local group of volunteers, and the Surfrider Foundation of Santa Barbara, dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches.
Brian Wilson died on June 11 at age 82. He was the third member of the fabled group to pass, following brothers Dennis in 1983 at age 39 and Carl in 1998 at age 51.
Entertainment
AI Artist Xania Monet, Diddy Sentencing Looms, Ticketmaster Lawsuit & More Music Law News

THE BIG STORY: If you needed another clear sign that artificial intelligence is seeping into every aspect of American cultural life, here’s one: An AI artist just signed a record deal, the hallowed milestone of success for any emerging musician.
As first reported by Billboard last week, Xania Monet — the avatar of a woman named Telisha Jones who writes her own lyrics but uses Suno to create the music — inked a record contract worth millions. The deal has quickly become the talk of the industry, including from stars who have spoken out, including Kehlani, who said: “I don’t respect it.”
But…what exactly is a label buying here? It remains unclear the extent to which you can secure intellectual property rights to AI-generated songs, raising hurdles for monetizing them. And platforms like Suno are still facing trillion-dollar infringement lawsuits that essentially claim the technology itself is illegal. For more, go read our full story.
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Other top stories this week…
BLIGE CASE TOSSED – A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group claiming Mary J. Blige’s enduring 1992 hit “Real Love” infringed the oft-sampled 1973 funk song “Impeach the President” by the Honey Drippers, which has been used by Run-DMC, Dr. Dre, Doja Cat and many others over the years. The judge said the two songs were so different that nobody would hear the earlier song: “The songs do not sound the same.”
DIDDY SENTENCING – Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs urged a federal judge to sentence him to just 14 months in prison on his prostitution convictions, asking him to reject the kind of “draconian” punishment sought by prosecutors. Because the star has already served 13 months in jail since he was arrested, that sentence would see him released almost immediately: “It is time for Mr. Combs to go home.”
LETTERS OF SUPPORT – To help make that argument, Diddy’s lawyers filed dozens of letters from supporters, pleading with the judge to show lenience toward the rapper when he sentences him next month. They came from Diddy’s mother and kids, from ex-girlfriend Yung Miami and from an executive at hip-hop label Quality Control Music — among many others.
SUNO SUIT 2.0 – Separate from the Xania Monet situation, the major record labels filed an amended version of their copyright lawsuit against the AI music firm, adding new allegations that the company illegally “stream-ripped” songs from YouTube to train its models. That’s a hugely important new claim: In a separate such lawsuit against Anthropic, a federal judge ruled this summer that AI training itself is likely a legal “fair use” but that using pirated works to do it could lead to many billions in potential damages.
FTC, YEAH YOU KNOW ME – The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster accusing the concert giants of advertising misleading ticket prices and allowing scalpers to buy up tickets and resell them at inflated prices. The case came months after the agency sued a ticket broker that allegedly used thousands of fake Ticketmaster accounts to buy and resell tickets to Taylor Swift concerts and other events — and two years after Live Nation was hit with a sweeping monopoly lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice.
HYPE VID SETTLEMENT – Mike Tyson settled a lawsuit claiming he illegally used the Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule song “Murdergram” in an Instagram video promoting his boxing match against Jake Paul. The case was filed by Ty Fyffe, a producer and co-writer of the 1998 track who claimed that Tyson had willfully infringed his copyrights by using the song in a training video ahead of his much-hyped fight with Paul.
LOSE YOUR … CASE? – Meta urged a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit from Eight Mile Style, a music publisher that owns hundreds of Eminem songs, which claims the social media giant made “Lose Yourself” and other iconic tracks available to billions of users. In the motion, Facebook’s lawyers argued the case was “remarkably short on specifics” about actual infringing material: “Fanciful estimates are not a substitute for well-pleaded facts,” the company wrote.
NEVER MEANT TO CAUSE YOU ANY PAIN – The Prince estate asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit by the late singer’s Purple Rain co-star Apollonia (Patty Kotero) that claims the estate is trying to “steal” her name, arguing it has no intention of forcing her to change her name — and has repeatedly told her as much. The filing did say, however, that Apollonia secured her own trademarks during “the chaotic period following Prince’s death.”
SEX TAPE LEAK CASE – Colombian pop star Beéle was hit with a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy and sexual cyberharassment from ex-girlfriend Isabella Ladera, claiming he is responsible for leaking their sex tape. Beéle’s reps have denied that he was the source of the leak and said the singer is “also a victim,” but Ladera’s lawsuit placed the blame squarely on him: “Only two people had the videos, and Ladera had already erased them almost a year and a half before.”
MEGAN THEE PLAINTIFF – Lawyers for Megan Thee Stallion argued in court filings that the social media personality DJ Akademiks must reveal whether Tory Lanez sent him a confidential DNA testing report during the singer’s criminal case. The filings came amid discovery in a defamation case against Milagro Gramz, a gossip blogger and ardent online defender of Lanez.
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