The XXL Awards 2026 are back and bigger than ever. We kick things off today (Feb. 9), by announcing the nominees and board members. This year, there are 15 categories, including Album of the Year, and Male and Female Rapper of the Year. We’ve also added four more categories to make things more interesting, including Verse of the Year, Social Media Master, Rapper-Hosted Podcast and Viral Song of the Year.
Winners will be crowned after a voting process from the awards board of label executives, A&Rs, marketing experts, managers, promoters, producers, DJs, publicists, select veteran artists and more. The XXL Awards board votes in 14 categories while the fans get to vote for The People’s Champ. Voting begins today and ends on Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Winners will be announced later this month.
In addition to past board members, XXL has added 45 more 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 Gabart, Wendy Goldstein, David “Dave-O” Grear, David Gross, Ambrosia Healy, Norjon Hedman, Natalie Ho, Chris Jordan, Sophie Kautz, Jaide Lewis, Naim McNair, Metro Boomin, Zekiel Nicholson, Tim Pithouse, Joshua “J1” Raiford, Ebrahim “Abe” Rasheed, Malita Rice, Jim Roppo, Jentry Salvatore, Javier “Jay” Sang, Lauren Schneider, Jay Schumer, Dante Smith, Charlene Thomas, Michael “Blue” Williams, Henny Yegezu and Amanda Zimmerman. There are 353 XXL Awards board members now.
Check out the XXL Awards 2026 nominees below.
XXL Awards 2026 Nominees
Artist of the Year
Tyler, The Creator
Kendrick Lamar
Drake
Clipse
Cardi B
Playboi Carti
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Album of the Year
Clipse, Let God Sort Em Out
Cardi B, Am I the Drama?
Playboi Carti, Music
J.I.D, God Does Like Ugly
Drake and PartyNextDoor, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
Tyler, The Creator, Don’t Tap 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 Broke Again, “Shot Callin”
Clipse, “Chains & Whips” featuring Kendrick Lamar
Gunna, “wgft” featuring Burna Boy
Playboi Carti, “Rather Lie” with The Weeknd
G Herbo, “Went Legit”
Male Rapper of the Year
Tyler, The Creator
Drake
Kendrick Lamar
Pusha T
Malice
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Playboi Carti
Female Rapper of the Year
Cardi B
Monaleo
GloRilla
Doechii
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Ice Spice
Lyricist of the Year
Malice
Joey Bada$$
J.I.D
Drake
Freddie Gibbs
Chance The Rapper
Wale
Producer of the Year
Metro Boomin
Sounwave
The Alchemist
Pharrell Williams
Cardo Got Wings
Turbo
F1lthy
Performer of the Year
Kendrick Lamar
Drake
Travis Scott
Tyler, The Creator
Doechii
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Playboi Carti
Video of the Year
Kendrick Lamar and SZA, “Luther”
Drake, “Nokia”
Clipse, “So Be It”
Doechii, “Denial Is a River”
Tyler, The Creator, “Darling, I”
Travis Scott, “4×4”
Destroy Lonely, “Screwed Up”
Verse of the Year
J. Cole on “Clouds” (Verse 2)
Malice on Clipse’s “F.I.C.O.” featuring Stove God Cooks
Kendrick Lamar on Clipse’s “Chains & Whips”
Pusha T on Clipse’s “So Be It”
Samara Cyn on “Vitamins & Minerals” (Verse 1)
J.I.D on “Community” featuring Clipse
Meek Mill on Fridayy’s “Proud of Me”
Social Media Master of the Year
50 Cent
Boosie BadAzz
Cardi B
Plies
Dax
Soulja Boy
Vic Mensa
Rapper-Hosted Podcast of the Year
The Joe Budden Podcast
Million Dollaz Worth of Game (Gillie Da Kid and Wallo267)
Fat Joe and Jada
It Is What It Is (Cam’ron and Ma$e)
Let’s Rap About It (Jim Jones, Fabolous, Maino, Dave East)
Drink Champs
Best Rapper in L.A. (Murs)
Viral Song of the Year
Metro Boomin, “Take Me Thru Dere” featuring Quavo, YKNiece, Breskii, DJ Spinz
Skrilla, “Doot Doot (6 7)”
Pluto and YKNiece, “Whim Whammie”
Rob49, “WTHelly”
Doechii, “Anxiety”
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, “Shot Callin”
Gelo, “Tweaker”
Hip-Hop’s Humanitarian of the Year
Gunna
Chance The Rapper
The Game
Megan Thee Stallion
50 Cent
Trae Tha Truth
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
The People’s Champ
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Playboi Carti
Nicki Minaj
Tyler, The Creator
Travis Scott
Drake
Megan Thee Stallion
GloRilla
Kendrick Lamar
Cardi B
50 Cent
Gunna
G Herbo
J.I.D
Joey Bada$$
Pooh Shiesty
Westside Gunn
Eminem
Yeat
Malice
