2023 Soul Train Awards Complete Winners List

The 2023 Soul Train Awards are here. The show has taken on a new concept and has become a "soulful party" in Hollywood on Sunday night (Nov. 26) in lieu of a traditional award show format. The show will air tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her.

"Soul, R&B, and hip hop continue to top the charts and drive culture forward,” Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, said in a statement. "This year, we are taking inspiration from these genres to innovate and disrupt the award show format while celebrating the legacy of Soul Train. We are proud of this year’s list of esteemed nominees and look to deliver an unforgettable night of soul with our new location, performances, and show moments."

Keke Palmer has been tapped as the host this year, which has been dubbed as the "house party of the year."

"Keke Palmer is a globally recognized multihyphenate talent who embodies confidence and positivity, and is one of the most engaging and lovable personalities working in entertainment today,” stated Connie Orlando, BET exec. vp specials, music programming & music strategy, in the press release announcement. "We can’t wait to have her host the Soul Train Awards house party. BET gave Keke her first talk show, where she made history as the youngest talk show host in television, and today we are honored to have her back on the Soul Train Awards stage. As always, expect our star-studded slate of soulful artists and can’t-miss moments to illuminate your screens for a night dedicated to soul music."

Palmer will also be one of the performers tonight including Coco Jones, Muni Long, Fridayy, and more.

As for nominations, SZA, Usher, and Summer Walker take the lead with nine nominations each. Behind them are 21 Savage with eight, Coco Jones and Victoria Monét with six, and Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Janelle Monáe, and October London all tied with four nods each.

Take a look at the full list of nominations below (we will be updating live):

Album of the year
The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
Age/Sex/Location, Ari Lennox
Clear 2: Soft Life EP, Summer Walker
Girls Night Out (Extended), Babyface
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Jaguar II, Victoria Monét
SOS, SZA
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones

Song of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA

Song of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA

Video of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Special,” Lizzo

Best R&B/soul female artist
Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
H.E.R.
Janelle Monáe
Summer Walker
SZA
Victoria Monét

Best R&B/soul male artist
6lack
Babyface
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Eric Bellinger
October London
Usher

Best group
Dvsn
Flo
Jagged Edge
Kool & The Gang
Maverick City Music
Phony Ppl
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
Tank and The Bangas
Wanmor

Best collaboration
“America Has a Problem” (Remix), Beyoncé Feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Creepin’ (Remix),” Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Diddy Feat. 21 Savage
“Fly Girl,” Flo feat. Missy Elliott
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
“Special,” Lizzo feat. SZA
“To Summer, From Cole (Audio Hug),” Summer Walker, J. Cole

Best new artist
Ambré
Ayra Starr
Coco Jones
Doechii
Flo
Fridayy
Tyla
Wanmor

Certified soul award
Anthony Hamilton
Ashanti
Ciara
Eric Bellinger
Monica
PJ Morton
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
T-Pain
Usher

The Ashford and Simpson songwriter’s award
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
“Snooze,” SZA

Best dance performance
“Better Thangs,” Ciara Feat. Summer Walker
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“How We Roll,” Ciara & Chris Brown
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA
“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown
“Under the Influence,” Chris Brown

Best gospel/inspirational award
“All of the Glory,” Shirley Caesar
“All Things,” Kirk Franklin
“Came Too Far,” Fridayy Feat. Maverick City Music & My Mom
“Cry,” Koryn Hawthorne
“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell
“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine
“The Journey,” H.E.R.
“Try Love,” Kirk Franklin

Hip-Hop has been fighting to get a No. 1 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 all year. We have not yet topped the charts this year - which is 50th anniversary of the genre. But that doesn't mean that there have not been great songs this year.

Hip-Hop has had several features from Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, this year. Ice Spice released her debut EP Like..? in January. It had one feature from fellow Bronx emcee Lil Tjay on "Gangsta Boo." The six-track EP also contained "Princess Diana," "Bikini Bottom," "In Ha Mood," "Actin a Smoochie," and her breakout hit "Munch (Feelin' U)." Nicki Minaj also hopped on "Princess Diana" with Ice Spice in April. The two linked up again to release "Barbie World" together in June for the Barbie film soundtrack.

As for Nicki, her only solo song of the year is "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" but she has stayed in the studio. Besides her feature on "Princess Diana," she has also hopped on Kim Petras' "Alone," Sexyy Red's "Poundtown Remix," YoungBoy Never Broke Again's "WTF," and Machel Montano and Destra's "Shake The Place."

The latest has been her feature on Uzi's "Endless Fashion," and Young Thug's "Money" with the late Juice WRLD.

J. Cole has since released "Procrastination (Broke)" and has hopped on Summer Walker's "To Summer From Cole (audio hug)" from her Clear 2: Soft Life EP as well as Lil Durk's "All My Life."

R&B, however, has had a better chart record this year as SZA's SOS hit "Kill Bill" stayed on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 16 weeks. It beat Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You" as the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist prior to SZA's "Kill Bill."

Take a look at the best hip-hop and R&B songs that have been released this year so far:

Nicki Minaj hopped on Ice Spice's "Princess Diana" back in April. This was the first time the two collaborated on a song together. The original "Princess Diana" is from the Bronx rapper's EP Like..? which was released in January.

Latto and Cardi B have a "Song of the Summer" contender with "Put It On Da Floor Again." Latto released the original version of the song in April. The duo followed up with the remix in June. This was the first time the pair collaborated together on a song.

Ice Spice and PinkPantheress set TikTok on fire with "Boy's a liar Pt. 2." Three weeks after the release "Boy's a liar Pt. 2" climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was first No. 1 hit for both artists.

Metro Boomin recruited The Weeknd, Diddy and 21 Savage for "Creepin' Remix." The song samples the 2004 hit "I Don't Wanna Know" by Mario Winans, Diddy, and Enya. The song is found on Metro Boomin's album Heroes & Villains.

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar surprised fans when they dropped the remix to "America Has A Problem." The original is found on Beyoncé's seventh studio album Renaissance. This was the duo's third collaboration.

Drake hopped on J Hus' "Who Told You" which dropped in June. This was Drake's third song of the year following "Search & Rescue" and his feature on Popcaan's "We Caa Done." This is the first time the two rappers collaborated.

Nicki Minaj released "Red Ruby Da Sleeze" in May. This is the rapper's only solo song of 2023 thus far. She's previously been on songs with Ice Spice, Uzi, Sexyy Young Thug, and the Juice WRLD.

Kali dropped "Area Codes" in March where she received her first top 10 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The rapper also scored her first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 when the song debuted at No. 54. The song interpolates the 2001 song of the same name by Ludacris featuring Nate Dogg.

Gunna returned to music with "Bread & Butter." In the song, he addresses the "snitch" allegations since his December release from jail. The song was the lead single to A Gift & A Curse.

Doja Cat made her 2023 solo debut with "Attention." The song serves as her lead single to her forthcoming album First of All. Her other offering of 2023 thus far was her feature of SZA's "Kill Bill" remix.

J. Cole joined Summer Walker on "To Summer From Cole (audio hug)," the first track on her EP Clear 2: Soft Life. On the song, Cole teased that he is working on his album The Fall Off. This is the pair's first collaboration.

Toosie brought Khalid in for the remix of "Favorite Song." The record is found on his album NAUJOUR which was released back in June. Future also joined Toosie with another remake of the song titled "Favorite Song (Toxic Version)." Toosie earned his first No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart with "Favorite Song."

Janelle Monáe became a trending topic when they dropped "Lipstick Lover." The video was repeatedly shared online due to its NSFW content but helped market their fourth studio album The Age of Pleasure. "Lipstick Lover" followed Monáe's "Float" which was released in February.

Beyoncé released a remix of her popular track "Cuff It." The "Cuff It (Wetter Remix)" is a slow-downed more sexualized version of the poppy track off of Renaissance. The "Cuff It (Wetter Remix)" was the first official remix off of Renaissance.

Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem linked up for "The Hillbillies." The cousins have collaborated together multiple times, including their Grammy-winning "Family Ties."

"Pelle Coat" debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Pelle Coat" is found on Lil Durk's Almost Healed. Almost Healed debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart making it the Chicago rapper's fourth leader.

Doechii might be a rising artist but she has proved that she is here for the long haul with her song "What It Is (Block Boy)." The song features Florida rapper Kodak Black. "What It Is (Block Boy)" samples TLC's 1999 hit "No Scrubs."

Doja Cat made her first appearance of 2023 with her feature on SZA's SOS hit "Kill Bill Remix." The original "Kill Bill" from SZA's SOS made history by staying on top the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for 16 weeks. Mary J. Blige's "Be WIthout You" was the longest-running No. 1 single by a solo female artist prior to SZA's "Kill Bill." The song title references Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film, starring Uma Thurman of the same name.

"All My Life" was the lead single to Durk's Almost Healed. The record topped the Rhythmic Airplay Chart making it Durk's first No. 1 as the lead artist. This is the first time Durk and J. Cole appear on a song together.

"Without You" was Quavo's first song of 2023. The song is about the passing of his former Migos groupmate and nephew Takeoff. Takeoff was shot and killed in Houston in 2022.

"Pull Up" is from Summer Walker's EP Clear 2: Soft Life. The music video features her boyfriend Lil Meech who stars in 50 Cent's BMF. EP Clear 2: Soft Life follows Clear which the singer released in 2019.

"Dogtooth" is from Tyler, The Creator's CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale. The deluxe edition of the album arrived on March 27, 2023. The songs added to the project never got a chance “see the light of day” Tyler noted on Twitter on the day of the release.

Kali Uchis' Red Moon in Venus arrived on March 3 which included "Moonlight." The track is the R&B singer's second single from the album. Red Moon in Venus has songs in both Spanish and English.

Diddy grabbed The City Girls (consisting of JT and Yung Miami) and Fabulous for their summer of the song contender. The song is about having someone your dating fund your activities like vacations, shopping, expensive meals, etc. This the first time all four artists have been together on a song.

"Gangsta Boo" is from Ice Spice's debut EP Like..?. Lil Tjay was the sole feature on the six-track EP. The project arrived in January.

Chlöe released her debut solo In Pieces which "Pray It Away" is found on. Her project had guest appearances from Chris Brown, Future, and Missy Elliott. She previously has three studio albums with the latter being Grammy-nominated with her younger sister Halle Bailey.

"Summer Too Hot" is Chris Brown's 2023 "Song of the Summer" contender. This is Brown's first solo song of 2023. The song was released in June.

Cordae recruited Anderson .Paak for "Two Tens." The song is about trying to get with two friends who are both "tens." This is the first time the two have collabed together.