XXL Awards 2022 Nominees Revealed

It’s officially awards season around here. The XXL Awards 2022 nominees are finally being revealed. After much debate, the XXL staff has narrowed down the contenders in 12 categories. The XXL Awards Board Members will vote on 11 of the categories while the fans get to pick their favorite artist for the 12th award The People’s Champ. Voting for all ends Jan. 14 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

When it comes to Album of the Year, the nominees include established names with years in the game. Nas’ King’s Disease II, J. Cole’s The Off-Season, Kanye West’s Donda, Tyler, The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost, Doja Cat’s Planet Her, Moneybagg Yo’s A Gangsta’s Pain and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy are competing for the win.

Women in hip-hop had a stellar 2021. Female Rapper of the Year includes Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Saweetie, Coi Leray, Latto, Cardi B and Doja Cat. From music to their brand, these ladies delivered.

The music flowed at a rapid pace last year, but there were a few standout tracks that bested the rest. Tyler, The Creator’s “Wusyaname” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Khaled’s “Every Chance I Get” featuring Lil Durk and Lil Baby, Polo G’s “Rapstar,” Kanye West’s “Off the Grid” featuring Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign, Baby Keem‘s “Family Ties” featuring Kendrick Lamar, Moneybagg Yo’s “Time Today” and Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” featuring Future, Young Thug receive nominations for Song of the Year.

Solid production supported the rappers who either climbed the charts over the last 12 months or earned critical acclaim. Among the Producer of the Year nominees are The Alchemist, Cardo, Wheezy, YC, Hit-Boy, Tyler, The Creator and Kanye West.

Check out the full list of XXL Awards nominees below, vote for your favorite artist in The People’s Champ category and look out for the winners to be revealed Jan. 24.

Artist of the Year
Drake
Doja Cat
J. Cole
Kanye West
Nas
Tyler, The Creator
YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Album of the Year
Doja Cat’s Planet Her
Drake’s Certified Lover Boy
J. Cole’s The Off-Season
Kanye West’s Donda
Moneybagg Yo’s A Gangsta’s Pain
Nas’ King’s Disease II
Tyler, The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost

Song of the Year
Baby Keem’s “Family Ties” featuring Kendrick Lamar
DJ Khaled’s “Every Chance I Get” featuring Lil Durk, Lil Baby
Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” featuring Future, Young Thug
Kanye West’s “Off the Grid” featuring Playboi Carti, Fivio Foreign
Moneybagg Yo’s “Time Today”
Polo G’s “Rapstar”
Tyler, The Creator’s “Wusyaname” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Ty Dolla $ign

Male Rapper of the Year
Drake
J. Cole
Kanye West
Lil Baby
Nas
Moneybagg Yo
Tyler, The Creator

Female Rapper of the Year
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doja Cat
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Saweetie

Best New Artist of the Year
Blxst
Coi Leray
EST Gee
Flo Milli
Morray
Pooh Shiesty
42 Dugg

Lyricist of the Year
Isaiah Rashad
J. Cole
Lil Baby
Nas
Tyler, The Creator
Vince Staples
Westside Gunn

Producer of the Year
Cardo
Hit-Boy
Kanye West
The Alchemist
Tyler, The Creator
Wheezy
YC

Performer of the Year
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Lil Baby
Kanye West
Megan Thee Stallion
Tyler, The Creator
Rico Nasty

Video of the Year
Baby Keem’s “Family Ties” featuring Kendrick Lamar
Cardi B’s “Up”
Drake’s “Way Too Sexy” featuring Future, Young Thug
Internet Money’s “His and Hers” featuring Don Toliver, Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot Sh*t”
Tyler, The Creator’s “Lumberjack”

Hip-Hop’s Humanitarian of the Year
Jay-Z
Meek Mill
Megan Thee Stallion
Trae Tha Truth
Young Dolph
21 Savage
50 Cent

The People’s Champ
Cardi B
Drake
Doja Cat
J. Cole
Kanye West
Lil Baby
Lil Durk
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Moneybagg Yo
Nas
Nicki Minaj
Playboi Carti
Polo G
Rod Wave
Saweetie
Tyler, The Creator
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Young Thug
50 Cent