BET Awards: How to watch, what to expect

June 28 (UPI) -- The BET Awards will return Sunday in Los Angeles.

The 24th annual ceremony will take place at Peacock Theater and air live at 8 p.m. EDT on BET.

BET presents the BET Awards to celebrate Black excellence across music, television, film and sports.

Actress and producer Taraji P. Henson will host the event for the third time.

Performers include Megan Thee Stallion, Will Smith, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Lauryn Hill and YG Marley, Tyla and Victoria Monét.

Drake leads the nominees with seven nominations. Nicki Minaj follows with six nominations, while J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and and Victoria Monét are each up for five awards.

Usher will receive the lifetime achievement award .

How to watch

The BET Awards will be held Sunday at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air live at 8 p.m. EDT on BET.

Participants

Empire actress Taraji P. Henson will host the awards show for the third time.

Megan Thee Stallion will open the ceremony, with Will Smith to perform a new single .

Other performers include GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Lauryn Hill and YG Marley, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Tyla and Victoria Monét.

Nominations

Drake lead the nominees with seven nominations, including Best Male Hip Hop Artist and Album of the Year for All the Dogs .

Nicki MInaj follows with six nominations, including Best Female Hip Hop Artist and Album of the Year for Pink Friday 2 .

J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and and Victoria Monét each have five nominations, while 21 Savage, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla and Usher are all up for four awards.

The Album of the Year nominations are: 11:11 (Chris Brown), A Gift & a Curse (Gunna), American Dream (21 Savage), Coming Home (Usher), For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition) (Drake), Jaguar II (Victoria Monét), Michael (Killer Mike), Pink Friday 2 (Nicki Minaj).

Usher will be honored with the BET lifetime achievement award.