Ciara Refuses to Say Future’s Name While Reading 2016 Billboard Music Award Nominees

The nominees for the 2016 Billboard Music Awards were announced today (April 11), and Ciara was tapped to read the choices for Top Rap Artist on TV. Of course there's Drake, along with Fetty Wap and Wiz Khalifa, as well as Silentó, thanks to his breakout hit "Whip it/Nae Nae." Oh, but there's one more artist Ciara forgot to mention: Future.

In the footage above, it's obvious Ciara goes out of her way to avoid saying her ex's name. Whether that's just a classic case of being petty or if there are some legal issues binding her from saying his name on such a public platform is unknown, but it's an incredibly awkward moment nonetheless.

Future probably won't mind. He's been on a roll this year between his Purple Reign mixtape and his EVOL album, the latter of which sold an impressive 134,000 equivalent album units in its first week. "Low Life," the collaboration with Weeknd from that album, has been heating up the charts in a big way, and it looks like Future's got another huge collab in the works.

His close producer Southside revealed today that DJ Khaled has a record with Future and Jay Z on it produced by Southside, Jake One and G Koop. It'll probably end up on Khaled's next Major Key album, which the King of Snapchat just signed a deal for with Epic Records.

Things have been hairy between Future and Ciara since they split in 2014. Earlier this year Ciara announced her engagement to Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, setting off a stream of hilarious memes from #FutureHive.

Check Out the Funniest #FutureHive Reactions to Ciara and Russell Wilson's Engagement