The hills of Los Angeles were alive with the sounds of R&B, hip-hop and gospel Tuesday as the nominees for the 2006 BET Awards were announced at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel.

Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx has proved that actors dabbling in music can actually be a good thing (no offense, J.Lo), leading the pack with five nominations, including Best Duet and Video of the Year notices for his collaboration with Kanye West on "Gold Digger." But although he has come out on top against competitors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Clint Eastwood for acting honors, he'll have to get by Prince before he can add a Best Male R&B Artist award to his trophy cabinet.

On the flip side, Chris Bridges (aka Ludacris) is up for Best Actor following sharp performances in Crash and Hustle & Flow and a guest spot as a cold-blooded killer on Law & Order: SVU. He's up against Foxx, Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard and the always-revered Denzel Washington.

Everybody Hates Chris mom Tichina Arnold and Hustle & Flow's Taraji P. Henson are the newest faces up for Best Actress alongside Alfre Woodard, Queen Latifah and Thandi Newton.

Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes racked up four nominations apiece, while West, Beyonc? and newcomer Chris Brown each landed three.

Blige's mentions include nods for Best Female R&B Artist and Video of the Year for her hit single "Be Without You." After winning the title in 2004, Elliott is up again for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist. Rhymes' scored three nods for his song "Touch It" and is nominated for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist.

Caribbean sensation Rihanna, whose single "SOS" hit number one on the Billboard 100 this week, will square off for the title of Best New Artist with Brown, "Ridin'" rapper Chamillionaire, In My Own Words artist Ne-Yo and Houston-based rapper Paul Wall, who notably joined in on Nelly's 2005 bling-touting single "Grillz."

Calypso crooner Harry Belafonte will be honored with the BET Humanitarian Award and eight-time Grammy winner Chaka Khan will take home the BET Lifetime Achievement Award.

"I'm really honored," Khan told the crowd, which included Three 6 Mafia, Keyshia Cole, Ne-Yo and Rhymes, when she learned that she had been singled out. "This is a great honor for me. I worked really hard over those 30 years. I'm so blessed."

Damon Wayans will host BET's sixth annual awards ceremony honoring the best in African-American music, film and sports June 27 at the Shrine Auditorium in downtown L.A.

"I'm really happy and honored to be here," Wayans said Tuesday. "I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm at my best when I'm unpredictable. It's gonna be balls to the walls. We're gonna let it all hang out."

Here's a complete list of the nominees (hopefully they're prepared to let it all hang out):

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: 50 Cent Busta Rhymes Common T.I. Kanye West

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Missy Elliott Lil' Kim Remy Ma Shawna Trina

Best Male R&B Artist: Chris Brown Jamie Foxx Anthony Hamilton Ne-Yo Prince

Best Female R&B Artist: Beyonc? Mary J. Blige Mariah Carey Keyshia Cole India.Arie

Best Gospel Artist: Yolanda Adams Kirk Franklin Mary Mary Smokie Norful CeCe Winans

Best New Artist: Chris Brown Chamillionaire Ne-Yo Rihanna Paul Wall

Best Duet/Collaboration: Beyonc? featuring Slim Thug, "Check on It (Pink Panther)" Bow Wow featuring Ciara, "Like You" Busta Rhymes featuring Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose and DMX, "Touch It (Remix)" Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris, "Unpredictable" Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, "Gold Digger"

Best Group Black Eyed Peas Destiny's Child Floetry Mary Mary Three 6 Mafia

Best Actor: Chris Bridges (Ludacris) Don Cheadle Jamie Foxx Terrence Howard Denzel Washington

Best Actress: Tichina Arnold Taraji P. Henson Thandie Newton Queen Latifah Alfre Woodard

Best Male Athlete: Kobe Bryant LeBron James Shaquille O'Neal Tiger Woods Vince Young

Best Female Athlete: Laila Ali Chamique Holdsclaw Lisa Leslie Sheryl Swoopes Venus Williams

Video of the Year: Beyonc? featuring Slim Thug, "Check on It" Mary J. Blige, "Be Without You" Busta Rhymes featuring Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose and DMX, "Touch It (Remix)" Missy Elliott featuring Ciara, "Lose Control" R. Kelly, "Trapped in the Closet" Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx, "Gold Digger"

Viewers' Choice: Chris Brown, "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" Busta Rhymes, "Touch It" Mariah Carey, "Don't Forget About Us" Keyshia Cole, "Love" Ne-Yo, "So Sick" T.I., "What You Know"

Bet J Cool Like That: Eric Ben?t Anthony Hamilton Heather Headley Kindred the Family Soul Corrine Bailey Rae