NXT Awards return to Atlanta with Tia Kemp, live performances and 15-plus categories

The NXT Awards will return to Atlanta on Oct. 25 at Coca-Cola Roxy, expanding the Now That’s TV event into a larger live show with performances, red carpet arrivals and fan activations. The move lands as Atlanta’s October entertainment calendar shifts after pauses involving BET Hip Hop Awards and ONE Musicfest.

Why it matters: - The NXT Awards are stepping into a bigger role in Atlanta’s October entertainment scene as major events on the city’s cultural calendar pause or go dark. - The second annual show gives Now That’s TV a high-profile platform to showcase its expansion into live events, talent discovery and broader entertainment programming. - The event is expected to draw more than 3,000 guests and will stream to a wider digital audience.

What happened: - The NXT Awards will take place Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, at Coca-Cola Roxy in The Battery Atlanta. - Media personality Tia Kemp will host the event. - Performers include BossMan Dlow, Saucy Santana, JhonnieDamnD, Boston Richey, Fatt Smackx, Pluto, Taffy Babii, Pretty Ricky and Soulja Boy, along with other Now That’s TV talent. - The show will stream live on Now That’s TV and YouTube. - Select tickets are available at Thenxtawards.com.

The details: - The second annual NXT Awards will feature more than 15 award categories. - The event will include live performances, red carpet arrivals, VIP experiences and fan activations. - Coca-Cola Roxy is a 53,000-square-foot venue with a capacity of 3,600 people. - The awards will recognize talent across music, entertainment, entrepreneurship, influence, social media and cultural impact. - Voting is currently underway. - Event doors open at 6:00 p.m. - Now That’s TV is presenting the awards. - The network was founded by Teleau Belton in 2021.

Between the lines: - Atlanta’s October calendar is changing after the BET Hip Hop Awards were suspended indefinitely and ONE Musicfest paused for 2026. - The NXT Awards are not positioned as a replacement for those events, but the timing gives Atlanta a new major cultural gathering on Oct. 25. - Belton said the show is being rebuilt around growth, bigger ambitions and a more intentional production approach. - Now That’s TV says its audience has grown across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and TikTok, with several platforms posting double-digit growth since the 2025 NXT Awards. - The network says its social footprint now includes more than 829,000 Instagram followers, 209,000 YouTube subscribers, 132,000 Facebook followers, 90,000 followers on X and 82,500 TikTok followers.

What's next: - Voting for the awards will continue ahead of the Oct. 25 ceremony. - Now That’s TV will use the event to keep building its live-event and entertainment footprint. - Fans can follow @thenxtawards and @nowthats_tv for updates.

The bottom line: - The NXT Awards are moving from proof-of-concept to a larger Atlanta event, with more artists, more categories and a bigger venue as Now That’s TV pushes deeper into live entertainment.