Kanye West, Beyonce Leads BET Awards '12 Nominee Pack

BET held a press conference in New York City on Tuesday (May 22) to announce the nominees for their upcoming BET Awards '12, and it was Beyonce and Kanye West leading the pack.

West leads everyone with seven nominations, most coming from his Watch the Throne collaborations with Jay-Z who picks up five nods himself.

Beyonce is on Ye's heels with six nods, including the coveted Video of the Year award, where her videos for "Countdown" and "Love On Top" will compete against Jay and Kanye's "N****s In Paris" and "Otis", as well as Usher's "Climax."

Drake and Lil Wayne earned four noms each, including Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, while Chris Brown takes three.

Artists fighting for the Best New Artist honor include Harlem newcomer A$AP Rocky, Big Sean, Diggy Simmons, Future, and Meek Mill.

The BET Awards '12 will air live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on July 1. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is set to host.

The full list of nominees are as follows:

Best International Act: Africa- Camp Mulla (Kenya)- Ice Prince (Nigeria)- Lira (South Africa)- Mokobe (Mali)- Sarkodie (Ghana)- Wizkid (Nigeria)

Best Female R&B Artist- Marsha Ambrosius- Beyonc- Mary J. Blige- Melanie Fiona- Rihanna

Best Male R&B Artist- Chris Brown- Bruno Mars- Miguel- Trey Songz- Usher

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist- Big Sean- Drake- J. Cole- Lil Wayne- Rick Ross- Young Jeezy

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist- Nicki Minaj- Diamond- Trina- Brianna Perry

Best Group- Bad Meets Evil- Diddy-Dirty Money- Maybach Music Group- Mindless Behavior- The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West)

Best New Artist- A$AP Rocky- Big Sean- Diggy- Future- Meek Mill

Best C! ollabora tion- Beyonc ft./ J. Cole "Party"- Big Sean ft./ Kanye West & Roscoe Dash "Marvin & Chardonnay"- DJ Khaled ft./ Drake, Rick Ross, and Lil Wayne "I'm On One"- Drake ft./ Lil Wayne and Tyga "The Motto"- The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) ft./ Otis Redding "Otis"- Wale ft./ Miguel "Lotus Flower Bomb"

Video of the Year- Beyonc "Countdown"- Beyonc "Love on Top"- The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) "N****s in Paris"- The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West) "Otis"- Usher "Climax"

Video Director of the Year- Beyonc and Alan Ferguson- Benny Boom- Chris Brown and Godfrey Tabarez- Kanye West- Hype Williams

Best Gospel- Yolanda Adams- Kim Burrell- James Fortune & FIYA- Fred Hammond- Trin-I-Tee 5:7

YoungStars Award- Astro- Diggy- Jacob Latimore- Keke Palmer- Willow Smith

Viewers' Choice Award- Drake ft./ Lil Wayne & Tyga "The Motto"- Beyonc "Love on Top"- Chris Brown "Turn Up the Music"- Mindless Behavior "Hello"- The Throne ft./ Otis Redding "Otis"- Wale ft./ Miguel "Lotus Flower Bomb"

Centric Award- Common- Estelle- Robert Glasper- Robin Thicke- Tyrese

Best International Act: U.K.- Estelle- Labrinth- Emeli Sande- Sway- Wretch 32

Best Actress- Angela Bassett- Viola Davis- Taraji P. Henson- Regina King- Zoe Saldana

Best Actor- Don Cheadle- Common- Idris Elba- Kevin Hart- Denzel Washington

Best Movie- "Good Deeds"- "Jumping the Broom"- "Laugh at My Pain"- "Red Tails"- "The Help"

Sportswoman of the Year- Skylar Diggins- Candace Parker- Brittney Griner- Serena Williams- Venus Williams

Sportsman of the Year- Carmelo Anthony- Kobe Bryant- LeBron James- Victor Cruz- Kevin Durant