The 57th NAACP Image Awards arrive Saturday, February 28, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. BET broadcasts the two-hour ceremony live at 8 PM ET with a simultaneous airing on CBS. Deon Cole returns as host. The theme is “We See You.”
In a year when a sitting president shared an AI-generated video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes and refused to apologize, the phrase “We See You” carries weight that goes beyond show business. This ceremony is not just about trophies. It is about visibility in a political climate that is actively trying to erase Black cultural power.
Here is what matters most on Saturday night.
### Entertainer of the Year Is Stacked
The five nominees for Entertainer of the Year tell you everything about where Black culture stands right now: Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Kendrick Lamar, Michael B. Jordan, and Teyana Taylor.
Kendrick Lamar dominated the 2026 Grammys with five wins, including Record of the Year for “Luther” and Best Rap Album for GNX. He also headlined the Super Bowl halftime show. A win here would cap the most dominant 12-month run in hip-hop history since Lauryn Hill in 1999.
Doechii earned a Grammy for Best Rap Album with “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and arrives as a first-time nominee with serious momentum. Cynthia Erivo’s “Wicked” performance earned both Oscar and Image Award attention. Michael B. Jordan and Teyana Taylor round out a field where any winner makes a statement.
### The Music Categories Are a Hip-Hop Showcase
Outstanding Album nominees include Cardi B (“AM I THE DRAMA?”), Clipse (“Let God Sort Em Out”), GIVEON (“BELOVED”), Leon Thomas (“MUTT Deluxe: HEEL”), and SZA (“SOS Deluxe: LANA”). That is five distinct lanes of Black music competing at the highest level.
The Outstanding Song, Hip-Hop/Rap category features Doechii (“Anxiety”), Clipse with Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams (“Chains & Whips”), Cardi B (“ErrTime”), Chance the Rapper with Do or Die and Twista (“Ride Remix”), and GloRilla (“Typa”).
Outstanding Male Artist pits Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, GIVEON, Kendrick Lamar, and Leon Thomas against each other. Outstanding Female Artist features Alex Isley, Cardi B, Doechii, SZA, and Teyana Taylor.
### Special Honors That Matter
Viola Davis receives the Chairman’s Award, one of the most prestigious honors in Black entertainment. Davis is also nominated for her role in “G20,” making her both an honoree and a competitor.
Colman Domingo receives the President’s Award for his contributions to culture and community. And in a fashion-meets-culture moment, A$AP Rocky receives the Vanguard Award for Fashion at Friday night’s fashion show event.
### A New Journalism Category Signals Something
For the first time, the NAACP Image Awards include Outstanding Literary Work, Journalism. The category recognizes reporting that reflects on experiences affecting the Black community through a lens of racial equity, social justice, or community impact.
Adding a journalism award in 2026 is not accidental. It arrives during an administration that has attacked press freedom, defunded public media, and dismissed coverage of racial issues as “woke.” Recognizing journalists who cover the Black community is itself a political act this year.
### The Political Context You Cannot Ignore
The NAACP Image Awards have always been political. They exist because Hollywood’s mainstream award shows consistently overlooked Black talent. This year, the political backdrop is unusually charged.
The SAVE America Act passed the House on February 11, requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, a measure civil rights organizations call voter suppression targeting Black Americans. Two-thirds of Black adults do not have a passport. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund called it “disguising voter suppression aimed at disenfranchising Black voters as election security.”
Rev. Jesse Jackson died on February 17 at age 84. Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, founded in 1984, pioneered the same kind of multiracial, culture-powered coalition that the NAACP Image Awards celebrate every year.
Trump’s approval rating among Black Americans sits between 15% and 24% depending on the poll. When the NAACP says “We See You,” they are speaking directly to a community under political pressure.
### What To Watch For
1. Does Kendrick sweep? A win for Entertainer of the Year plus music categories would be historic. 2. Doechii’s breakout moment. First-time nominee, Grammy winner, potential NAACP Image Award winner at 24 years old. 3. Viola Davis’s speech. Chairman’s Award acceptance speeches at the Image Awards are traditionally the emotional core of the night. Davis does not hold back. 4. The “We See You” messaging. Watch how the show frames Black visibility in the current political moment. Expect direct references to voting rights, media representation, and cultural erasure. 5. Fashion show Friday. A$AP Rocky’s Vanguard Award event on February 27 could generate significant social media content.
### How to Watch
– Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026 – Time: 8 PM ET / 8 PM PT – Networks: BET and CBS (simulcast) – Venue: Pasadena Civic Auditorium
The non-televised awards ceremony will reveal winners in dozens of additional categories including literature, journalism, podcasts, and more.
