The Tens: 10 Biggest WTF Nominations For The 2011 BET Awards

It’s that time of the year again! Black Entertainment Television rolled out their nominees for the 2011 BET Awards. Without fail, there are some truly questionable nominations that made us say “WTF?” We really weren’t going to say anything about the nominations, but then Chris Brown got a nod for “Best Actor” and we couldn’t resist tearing this list apart.

1. Are These The Best Female Emcees BET Could Find?

If Diamond, Lola Monroe and Master P‘s teenage daughter are the best ladies on the mic that BET could find, we suggest that the network just rename the award the “Nicki Minaj Award” and quit with the shenanigans. We gave you two lists of dope female emcees to go off of (here and here) and you mean to tell me that Nikki Lynette, Marz Lovejoy, Rah Digga, Jean Grae, Rapsody, Rocky Rivera and a shit ton more couldn’t get a nod from your nonsensical network? GTFOHWTBS!

2. Chris Brown Gets A “Best Actor” Nomination? Really?

We laughed at first because we thought he got the nod based off of his teary performance of “Man In The Mirror” at last year’s award show. But when nobody came out and said “Gotcha!” we realized that BET was seriously nominating him for an award based on a performance in a movie where he wasn’t even a main character. Dude, he’s not even on the poster for the damn movie. Are there really no other black actors to pick from? You might as well have nominated Tyler Perry too because this category is a joke with Brown’s name in it.

3. What Did Beyonce Do To Get Nominated For “Best Female R&B Artist?”

At the beginning of 2010, Beyonce said she was taking a break from the music industry. Yet, BET still manages to find a way to nominate her for “Best Female R&B Artist.” She hasn’t released an album since 2008 for crying out loud! To not do a damn thing in 2010 and get nominated alongside Keri Hilson, Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna and Marsha Ambrosius is ludicrous. But that’s the power of the Beyonce.

4. Halle Berry Nominated For A Movie Nobody Has Seen Yet

Hmmmm…. Halle Berry was nominated for “Best Actress” alongside Taraji P. Henson, Regina King, Zoe Saldana and Kerry Washington for a movie that a handful of people have seen. “Frankie & Alice” opened up in limited release on December 10th. I’m willing to bet that more than half of the voting committee has yet to see the movie. But apparently Halle Berry is a permanent fixture in the category regardless of what she does.

5.  Is Usher Still A Top 5 Male R&B Artist?

We don’t know about you guys, but doesn’t it seem like Usher, Beyonce and Halle Berry belong to the same cult that garners them a BET nomination every year no matter what they do or don’t do.

6. Does Best International Act from Africa prove BET’s blackness?

How many of you have heard music from 2Face Idibia? No? Okay, how about D’Banj? Still nothing? It’s kind of pretentious to do a “Best International Act” with a focus on African artists that we’re pretty damn sure that none of the nomination committee has heard of. Better yet, how many people from BET has listened to these artists. You guys ain’t slick. We see right through your transparent asses.

7. The “Best Movie” Category Proves That Black Cinema Needs To Step It Up

Yeesh. The BET nominees for “Best Movie” feel like they were just tossed together. “Why Did I Get Married Too?” stunk up the theater, “Takers” featured a nomination worthy performance by Chris Brown *guffaw*, “Death At A Funeral” died at the box office, “The Book Of Eli” well…we’re not sure why this made the list and “For Colored Girls” was panned by critics whether you agree or disagree with the Tyler Perry criticism. If this is the lot we have to pick from, then Black cinema is in pretty bad shape.

8. The Joke Known As “Best Group” Category

Before we get started, there is one glaring omission from this category. How in the bloody blue hell do you leave The Roots off of this list??? Let’s see, they dropped a dope album with How I Got Over, play Jimmy Fallon‘s show nightly and are the best live hip-hop act on the planet. Yet you still find a way to nominate the gotdamn New Boyz – who haven’t released an album since 2009? It’s funny how Cali Swag District (R.I.P. M Bone), Travis Porter and the aforementioned Jerky New Boyz are all basically one hit wonders while The Roots have been making critically acclaimed albums yet get absolutely no respect from BET.

9. Are There Rules For Best New Artist Because It Sure Doesn’t Seem Like It

Wiz Khalifa dropped an album this year, Miguel and Bruno Mars dropped their albums last year, J. Cole dropped a mixtape and Willow Smith dropped a song. How do you figure out what’s a “new” artist? Should they have an album released in the prior year to serve as their debut? If so, there’s nothing “new” about Wiz Khalifa since he dropped Deal Or No Deal in 2009 (hey, it’s not his fault you guys rode the late bus). When J. Cole drops his album (hopefully) this year, will he be new again next year? This is pretty damn confusing.

10. Does Anybody Really Care About Who Wins At The Awards?

BET has become such a mockery of itself over the years that many of the bigger named nominees opt out of even showing up. How many of us really care who wins at the end of the day? When there are so many nonsensical nominations from a network that hardly even plays music these days, what’s the point? Most people only watch to see what so and so is wearing and to see the performances. The peanut gallery on Twitter is going to have a blast come June 26th.