Beyoncé has had two nominated videos as a lead or co-lead artist three times, more than any other artist. Jay-Z, like Cardi B, has done it twice.
But does having two nominated videos mean that Cardi B is so hot she is likely to win with one or the other, or that her competing entries are likely to split her votes so that neither one wins? The history of the BET Awards doesn’t yield a clear answer. In the nine previous times that an artist has had two nominated videos (as a lead or co-lead artist), that artist won five times. In the other four cases, somebody else won the award.
Here’s a full list of artists who have had two video of the year nominees as lead or co-lead artists — and who won the award that year.
OutKast, 2004: “Hey Ya!” and “The Way You Move” (featuring Sleepy Brown) were both nominated. “Hey Ya!” won.
Beyoncé, 2007: “Irreplaceable” and “Beautiful Liar” (a collab with Shakira) were both nominated. “Irreplaceable” won.
Beyoncé, 2009: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “If I Were a Boy” were both nominated. “Single Ladies” won.
Jay-Z, 2010: “Empire State of Mind” (a collab with Alicia Keys) and “Run This Town” (a collab with Rihanna and Kanye West) were both nominated. Beyoncé’s “Video Phone” (featuring Lady Gaga) won.
Jay-Z and Kanye West, 2012: “Otis” and “Ni**as in Paris” were both nominated. “Otis” won.
Drake, 2013: “Started From the Bottom” and “HYFR” (featuring Lil Wayne) were both nominated. “Started From the Bottom” won.
Beyoncé, 2014: “Partition” and “Drunk in Love” (featuring Jay-Z) were both nominated. Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” won.
Chris Brown, 2015: “Loyal” (featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga) and “New Flame” (featuring Usher and Rick Ross) were both nominated. Beyoncé won for “7/11.”
Cardi B, 2019: “Money” and “Please Me” (a collab with Bruno Mars) were both nominated. Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” won.
Cardi B, 2021: “Up” and “WAP” (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) are both nominated.
