The 1998 Soul Train Music Awards were held on February 27, 1998, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Puff Daddy was the top nominee with five nominations, other top nominees included Janet Jackson, Aaliyah and Maxwell. The show was hosted by Patti LaBelle, Erykah Badu and Heavy D.^[1]

Special awards

Sammy Davis Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year

• Puff Daddy

Quincy Jones Award for Career Achievement

• Whitney Houston

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold text.

R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year

• Erykah Badu – Baduizm
  • Mary J. Blige – Share My World
  • The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death
  • Puff Daddy & the Family – No Way Out

Best R&B/Soul Album – Male

• Notorious B.I.G – Life After Death
  • Joe – All That I Am
  • Maxwell – MTV Unplugged
  • Prince – Emancipation

Best R&B/Soul Album – Female

• Erykah Badu – Baduizm
  • Mary J. Blige – Share My World
  • Janet Jackson – The Velvet Rope
  • Lil' Kim – Hard Core

Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band or Duo

• Dru Hill – Dru Hill
  • Boyz II Men – Evolution
  • Kirk Franklin and God's Property – God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation
  • Puff Daddy & the Family – No Way Out

Best R&B/Soul Single – Male

• Usher – "You Make Me Wanna..."
  • Joe – "Don't Wanna Be a Player"
  • R.Kelly – "I Believe I Can Fly"
  • Kenny Lattimore – "For You"

Best R&B/Soul Single – Female

• Erykah Badu – "On and On"
  • Aaliyah – "Journey to the Past"
  • Mary J. Blige – "I Can Love You"
  • Janet Jackson – "Got 'til It's Gone"

Best R&B/Soul Single – Group, Band or Duo

• Dru Hill – "In My Bed"
  • Destiny's Child – "No, No, No"
  • LSG – "My Body"
  • Puff Daddy and Faith Evans (featuring 112) – "I'll Be Missing You"

The Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video

• Puff Daddy and Faith Evans (featuring 112) - I'll Be Missing You
  • Busta Rhymes – "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See"
  • Missy Elliott – "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"
  • The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy & Mase – ''Mo Money Mo Problems"

Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist

• Erykah Badu
  • Missy Elliott
  • God's Property
  • Puff Daddy

Best Gospel Album

• Kirk Franklin and God's Property – God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation
  • The Canton Spirituals – Living the Dream: Live from Washington, D.C.
  • GMWA Gospel Announcers Guild – So You Would Know
  • The Williams Brothers – Still Standing

Best Jazz Album

• Boney James – Sweet Thing
  • Zachary Breaux – Uptown Groove
  • Dave Grusin – Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story
  • The Williams Brothers – Black Diamond

Performers

• Janet Jackson – "I Get Lonely"
• Boyz II Men – "Doin' Just Fine"
• Puff Daddy, The LOX and Lil' Kim – "It's All About the Benjamins"
• Heavy D – "I'll Do Anything"
• God's Property and Kirk Franklin – "Stomp"
• Whitney Houston Tribute:
  • Ronald Isley – "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"
  • Terry Ellis – "How Will I Know"
  • Kenny Lattimore – "I Believe in You and Me"
  • Monica – "You Give Good Love"
• Erykah Badu – "Certainly"
• Usher – "You Make Me Wanna..." and "Nice & Slow"
• Patti LaBelle – "If Only You Knew"
• Dru Hill and Jermaine Dupri – "In My Bed"