The 2026 XXL Awards are back and bigger than ever. We’re kicking things off today (February 9) by announcing our nominees and board members. There are 15 categories this year, including Album of the Year and Male and Female Rapper of the Year. We’ve also added four categories to make things more interesting, including Poetry of the Year, Social Media Gurus, Rapper-Hosted Podcasts, and Viral Song of the Year.
Winners will be selected following a vote by an awards committee comprised of record label executives, A&Rs, marketing experts, managers, promoters, producers, DJs, publicists, select veteran artists and more. The XXL Awards committee votes in 14 categories, and fans can vote for the People’s Champion. Voting begins today and ends on February 13 at 11:59 PM ET. The winners will be announced later this month.
In addition to past board members, XXL has added 45 music industry heavyweights this year. Welcome Idris “Peeda Pan” Abdul Wahid, Antoine “Fee” Banks, Steve Berman, Big Sean, Chief Keef, Carlos Cuadros, Josh Dickinson, DJ Drewski, DJ Kast One, Cara Donatto, Jessica Eason, Peter Edge, Bianca Edwards, Justin Eshak, Bill Evans, Kierra Felton, John Fleckenstein, Lena Franklin, Funkmaster Flex, Stan Garbart, Wendy Goldstein, David “Dave-O” Greer, David Gross, Ambrosia Healy, Nojon Heidman, Natalie Ho, Chris Jordan, Sophie Coates, Jed Lewis, Naim McNair, Metro Boomin, Zekiel Nicholson, Tim Pitthouse, approx. Shuah “J1” Raiford, Ibrahim “Abe” Rasheed, Malita Rice, Jim Lobo, Jentry Salvador, Javier “Jay” San, Lauren Schneider, Jay Schumer, Dante Smith, Charlene Thomas, Michael “Blue” Williams, Henny Yegezu and Amanda Zimmerman. There are currently 353 members on the XXL Awards Board of Directors.
Check out the 2026 XXL Awards nominees below.
2026 XXL Awards Nominees
artist of the year
tyler, creator
Kendrick Lamar
Drake
clip
Cardi B
Praboy Karti
YoungBoy never broke down again.
album of the year
Clipse, let God sort them out
Cardi B, am I drama?
Playboi Carti, music
JID, God loves ugly people
Drake and PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
Tyler, Creator, don’t knock on the glass
Freddie Gibbs, Alfredo 2
song of the year
Drake and PartyNextDoor, “Nokia”
Metro Boomin, “Take Me Thru Dere,” featuring Quavo, YKNiece, Breskii, DJ Spinz
YoungBoy Never Breaks Down Again, “Shot Callin'”
Clipse, Chains & Whips starring Kendrick Lamar
Gunna, “wgft” with Burna Boy
Playboi Carti, “Quite a Lie” with The Weeknd
G Herbo, “Legal”
Best Male Rapper of the Year
tyler, creator
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Pusha T
malicious
YoungBoy never broke down again.
Praboy Karti
Best Female Rapper of the Year
Cardi B
monaleo
Gloria
Dojiyi
lato
Megan Thee Stallion
ice spice
Lyricist of the Year
malicious
Joey Bada$$
Federation ID
Drake
freddie gibbs
rapper chance
Vail
Best Producer of the Year
subway booming
sound wave
Alchemist
Pharrell Williams
Kado has wings
turbine
dirty
best performer of the year
Kendrick Lamar
Drake
travis scott
tyler, creator
Dojiyi
YoungBoy never broke down again.
Praboy Karti
best video of the year
Kendrick Lamar and SZA, “Luther”
Drake, “Nokia”
Clipse, “That’s it”
Doechii, “Denial is a River”
Tyler, The Creator “Honey, Me”
Travis Scott, “4×4”
Destroying loneliness, “screwed up”
Poetry of the Year
J. Cole talks about “cloud” (Section 2)
Malice on Clipse’s “FICO,” Featuring Hearth Chef
Kendrick Lamar Talks Clipse’s “Chains & Whips”
Pusha T talks about Clipse’s “So Be It”
Samara Cyn on “Vitamins and Minerals” (Section 1)
JID features Clipse on “Community”
Meek Mill Talks Friday’s ‘Proud of Me’
Social Media Guru of the Year
50 cents
Bushy Butz
Cardi B
Number of layers
Dax
surga boy
Vic Mensah
Podcast hosted by rapper of the year
Joe Budden Podcast
Million Dollar Game Value (Gillie Da Kid and Wallo267)
Fat Joe and Jada
That’s it (Cam’ron and Ma$e)
Let’s Rap (Jim Jones, Fabolous, Maino, Dave East)
Drink Champion
Best Rapper in Los Angeles (Murs)
viral song of the year
Metro Boomin, “Take Me Thru Dere,” featuring Quavo, YKNiece, Breskii, DJ Spinz
Skrilla, “Duter Duter (6 7)”
Pluto and YKNiece, “On a whim”
Rob49, “WTHelly”
Duoqi’s “Anxiety”
YoungBoy Never Breaks Down Again, “Shot Callin'”
Jello, “The Adjuster”
Annual Hip Hop Humanitarian Award
Guna
rapper chance
game
Megan Thee Stallion
50 cents
Trey Tower Truth
YoungBoy never broke down again.
People’s Champion
YoungBoy never broke down again.
Praboy Karti
nicki minaj
tyler, creator
travis scott
Drake
Megan Thee Stallion
Gloria
Kendrick Lamar
Cardi B
50 cents
Guna
G Herb
Federation ID
Joey Bada$$
Vinnie Chesty
west end gunn
slim Shady
Yette
malicious
