Erykah Badu to host 2017 Soul Train Awards

Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Erykah Badu will host the Soul Train awards for the third consecutive year, BET announced Monday.

The cable channel also said Badu, "the godmother of soul," will take on writing and producing duties, in addition to hosting the annual awards show.

This year's Soul Train Awards performers will focus heavily on soul and R&B with Tamar Braxton, 112, Tank and Kirk Franklin all scheduled to take the stage.

BET also announced this year's nominees.

Solange leads all artists with seven nominations, including best album for her A Seat at the Table.

Also in the running for best album are The Weeknd's Starboy, Sza's CTRL, Bruno Mars' 24k Magic and Mary J. Blige's Strength of a Woman.

The show will be filmed Nov. 5 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, but won't air on BET and until Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. EST.