Canadian heartthrob Justin Bieber is being honored among some of music’s most prominent Black performers. On Tuesday, the baby-faced teen idol nabbed a Best New Artist nomination for next month’s BET Awards in Los Angeles, where he’ll compete against fellow Canadian Melanie Fiona and the Drake-assisted hip-hop syndicate Young Money.The annual awards show, sponsored by Black Entertainment Television, typically honors the accomplishments of entertainers of color, but officials describe Bieber — a former YouTube sensation discovered by “Confessions” star Usher — as a crossover artist with talent that transcends color lines. His latest album, My World 2.0, debuted at No.1 on the Billboard charts in March.
“Bieber has crossed the color boundaries the same way that hip-hop has crossed the boundaries the other way for a number of years,” says Stephen Hill, BET’s President of Music Programing and Specials. “He’s had rhythm in his music. He makes the type of music our audience likes.”
The 2010 BET Awards, hosted by Queen Latifah, airs live from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on June 27.
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