'The Piano Lesson,' GloRilla and Ayo Edebiri lead NAACP Image Award nominations

The NAACP Image Award for Entertainer of the Year may determine which celebrity had the biggest year for Black audiences. 

Was it rapper Kendrick Lamar, whose beef with Drake dominated headlines for weeks? Or Keke Palmer, the podcaster, actress and game show host who seemed to be everywhere? Was it side-splitting comedian Kevin Hart or Shannon Sharpe, whose podcast “Club Shay Shay” regularly sets social media ablaze with hot gossip? Perhaps it was Cynthia Erivo for whom “Wicked” fans held space in order to defy gravity. 

The winner will be announced on Feb. 22 during the NAACP Image Awards ceremony, which will be broadcast on BET and CBS.

“The Piano Lesson,” starring John David Washington in an adaptation of one of August Wilson’s revered plays, leads in the film categories with 14 nominations, while “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” leads across the television categories with nine nominations.

(“Wicked” and “Fight Night” were released by units of NBC News’ parent company, NBCUniversal.)

Ayo Edebiri, of “The Bear,” leads among TV and film nominations with four nominations for her work on the FX show, a guest spot on “Saturday Night Live” and her voice role in “Inside Out 2.” She is followed closely behind by Palmer, with four nominations. 

Rapper GloRilla leads the pack among musical artists with six nominations, followed by Doechii, Kendrick Lamar and Usher, who each have four. 

“We look forward to celebrating the brilliance of Black talent and creativity whose stories shape culture, ignite change, and inspire generations,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. “Through film, music, literature, and more, their voices weave a rich tapestry that honors our heritage, celebrates our identity, and proves that storytelling is a powerful force for driving true progress.” 

The full list of nominees is available at the NAACP Image Awards site, where the public can vote on many of the 102 categories up for grabs.