Baby-faced Canadian teenager Justin Bieber has scored a nomination for a 2010 Black Entertainment Television (BET) award.

Bieber, 16, will compete in the best new artist category.

The BET awards typically honour black singers, actors, actresses and athletes, but officials described the white Bieber as a cross-over artist.

"Bieber has crossed the colour boundaries the same way hip-hop has crossed the boundaries the other way for a number of years," said Stephen Hill, BET's president of music programming and specials.

Bieber was signed to a music label with the help of Usher, who has drawn a nomination for best male rhythm and blues artist.

"He's had rhythm in his music," said Hill of Bieber. "He makes the type of music our audience likes."

The awards ceremony will be held on Los Angeles on June 27.

Rapper Jay-Z leads the field with five nominations. His wife Beyonce scored four.

- Reuters