Saucy Santana, Soulja Boy, Pretty Ricky headline the NXT Awards

Saucy Santana, Soulja Boy and Pretty Ricky are pulling up to the NXT Awards next week, headlining a lineup that puts rap, R&B and the reality and influencer stars who keep timelines busy on one stage.

The second annual ceremony goes down Sunday, October 25, at the Coca-Cola Roxy in The Battery Atlanta. Tia Kemp is back as host, and scheduled performers include BossMan Dlow, Saucy Santana, Boston Richey, Pretty Ricky and Soulja Boy. Atlanta’s own Pluto and Taffy are also on the bill, with more talent expected to join. The show streams live on Now That’s TV and YouTube. 

The inaugural NXT Awards last year set the bar. DaBaby, Sukihana, YK Niece, Travis Porter, Big Boogie and Diamond the Body were among those who took the stage.  Jhonni Blaze opened the night.  Atlanta staples producer Zaytoven and rapper Scrappy were among the names in the building. 

Now That’s TV was founded in 2021 by African American entrepreneur Teleau Belton as an independent, Black-owned streaming network built to amplify voices often overlooked by mainstream media. It started with original, unscripted and reality-based programming and has since expanded into podcasts, interactive entertainment, boxing and live events.

TRENDING STORY: Iconic Black Artist Who Never Won a Competitive BET Award

TRENDING STORY: Big Draco For President?! Soulja Boy Teases 2028 White House Run

That ownership detail matters more now than it did a few years ago. BET, the network that for decades was the cultural home for Black music, comedy and awards shows, now sits inside a corporate giant. Paramount has owned it since 2001, when predecessor Viacom acquired BET for $3 billion, and the network started as a Black-owned cable channel. Paramount explored selling a majority stake to Black buyers a few years ago, but no deal happened. This year Paramount went further in the other direction. It bought Tyler Perry Studios’ stake in BET+ and folded the streamer into Paramount+. One commentator described the move as the end of the last vestige of Black ownership tied to the BET network.

When BET hit pause on the Hip Hop Awards, Atlanta’s October lost its biggest night. Now That’s TV built a new one. In August 2025, BET’s then-CEO confirmed the network had suspended the Hip Hop Awards, an October staple since 2006, along with the Soul Train Awards, saying they were being reimagined rather than ended. The Soul Train Awards are now set to return Nov. 27, but the Hip Hop Awards still haven’t, and ONE Musicfest is on pause until 2027.  Now That’s TV, the Black-owned network with a loyal audience and a fast-growing roster, is filling the gap with the NXT Awards, currently one of the culture’s primary fall gatherings.   While we can still see Black faces on many screens, Black ownership of national media platforms is far harder to find. Now That’s TV is one of the few places where the people on screen and the people signing the checks look alike.  TV One is also a Black owned network. 

If the NXT Awards lineup gets people through the door, the ballot gets people talking. Fans are voting on 15 categories including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Blogger of the Year. The network’s reality regulars battle it out for King and Queen of Now That’s TV, Fan Favorite and MVP.

Then there are the categories that are messy in the best way. “Most Hated Troll,” “Should’ve Stayed Home” and “Biggest Crashout” give the audience a chance to rank the messiest, loudest and most unforgettable moments of the year. “Most Viral Moment” is basically a recap of the network’s biggest scenes, from reunion fights to podcast stunts to two installments of The Hookup. Song of the Year puts tracks from Ivori, Larue, Aakosha, Pookie, Vanity Rose and Diamond the Body head-to-head. The people who watch are the ones deciding who wins, 

Voting is open through the Voting page at TheNXTAwards.com. Pick one nominee per category and submit.  Tickets are available through the awards site and major ticketing platforms.

Now That’s TV wants the world to know that the Black voices it champions are stronger than ever and growing.

Article by Jazmyn Summers.  You can catch Jazmyn every morning on “Jazmyn in the Morning “on Sirius XM Channel 362 Grown Folk Jamz.  Subscribe to Jazmyn Summers’ YouTube. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.