The 2026 BET Awards took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 27, honoring music icons and creative forces.
Comedian Druski, 31, hosted the ceremony, becoming the youngest host in BET Awards history, surpassing Kevin Hart's 2011 record.
Lauryn Hill Receives Living Legend Icon Award
Lauryn Hill was presented with the Living Legend Icon Award after an all-star tribute introduced by Ice Cube.
The tribute featured performances by her children and artists including SZA and Lizzo.
During her acceptance speech, Hill urged fellow artists to stay true to their creative purpose.
“I fight for y’all,” Hill said.
“And fighting for y’all is me fighting for myself, it’s me fighting for my children, it’s me fighting for my community.”
The ceremony also celebrated her landmark solo debut album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” which includes classics like “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor,” and “Everything Is Everything.”
Teyana Taylor Named Icon of the Year
Music legend Janet Jackson surprised Teyana Taylor on stage to present her with the Icon of the Year Award.
“They did not tell me Janet was coming,” Taylor said.
Jackson praised Taylor's artistic range, noting her Golden Globe win for her role in “One Battle After Another.”
Taylor reflected on her two-decade career, saying, “I worked my (expletives) off 20 years.”
She accepted the honor with gratitude rather than arrogance. “So I’m not accepting what I’ve earned with arrogance.
I’m accepting what I’ve earned with gratitude,” Taylor said.
Taylor emphasized collaboration over competition.
“Most of my career has been spent building my own dream while helping somebody else build theirs, because I believe there's room for all of us to win,” she said.
She added, “If I know something, I should teach it. If I open a door, I should hold it.
If I have a platform, I should make room for another voice.”
Taylor concluded by thanking her family, calling her children her “greatest masterpiece,” and her broader community.
“It truly takes a village, and I'm beyond blessed with the one that God has given me. Thank you so much, BET, for this honor,” she said.
Sylvia Rhone Receives Ultimate Icon Award
Music executive Sylvia Rhone received the BET Ultimate Icon Award, presented by Kelly Rowland.
Rhone is the first Black woman to lead a major record company owned by a Fortune 500 firm.
“Tonight’s honor bears my name, but it really belongs to all of us who create culture,” Rhone said.
She addressed the impact of artificial intelligence on musicians, stating, “We make the algorithm. The algorithm doesn’t make us.”
Rhone demanded proper protections and compensation for creative workers. “We must honor the musician.
We must compensate the creator,” she said.
She urged the industry to empower the next generation to write “the songs that will change the world.”
Performances and Other Highlights
Kehlani performed her song “Folded” alongside Jamie Foxx and his daughter, Anelise Estelle Foxx. Don Toliver performed “E85” and “Body.”
While accepting the award for best female R&B/pop artist, Kehlani noted Janet Jackson's presence and said she was “really honored to be here.”
Druski appeared in comedy segments with Latto and Martin Lawrence, who joked about a potential role in the next “Bad Boys” movie while promoting his upcoming Paramount+ series.
The broadcast included an emotional in memoriam segment led by Erica Campbell, honoring gospel composer Richard Smallwood and legendary music executive Clive Davis, who died at age 94.
An all-star tribute to the late R&B artist D'Angelo featured his children. Campbell and Le'Andria Johnson performed “I Love the Lord.”
The opening segment featured a choir performing Kirk Franklin's track “Revolution.”
