The 26th Annual Ceremony Balanced Legacy and New Energy With a D’Angelo Memorial, Cardi B’s Four-Song Set, and Druski’s Debut as the Youngest Host in BET Awards History
The 2026 BET Awards delivered one of the most performance-dense ceremonies in the show’s 26-year history on Sunday night, anchored by a 15-minute Lauryn Hill tribute that assembled more than a dozen artists across two generations of hip-hop, R&B, and pop to perform her catalog live at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Teyana Taylor and Clipse each won three awards to lead all artists. Kendrick Lamar and Kehlani each took home two. And Cardi B, who entered the night with six nominations — more than any other artist — won Best Female Hip-Hop Artist for Am I the Drama?, her first full-length album since 2018’s Invasion of Privacy.
Comedian and internet personality Druski hosted the ceremony in his debut, descending onto the stage suspended from the ceiling in a nod to his viral “flying pastor” sketch. At 31, Druski became the youngest host in BET Awards history — a fact Druski made sure to acknowledge himself. “Before we keep this show going, I personally wanted to take a moment to acknowledge some Black history,” Druski told the audience. “The person I wanted to acknowledge is… me.”
Lauryn Hill’s Tribute Drew From Every Corner of Her Catalog
The evening’s centerpiece was the tribute to Lauryn Hill, who received the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award, sponsored by Sprite. Ice Cube introduced the segment with a video package contextualizing Hill’s impact, and what followed was a rotating medley that covered nearly every phase of Hill’s career — from the Fugees through The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and beyond.
The War and Treaty opened with 1993’s “Joyful, Joyful.” Doechii and SZA followed with “Ready or Not.” Tems and Tierra Whack performed “Fu-Gee-La.” Nas and Doja Cat took on “If I Ruled the World.” Lizzo and Rapsody led the crowd through “Doo Wop (That Thing).” Common and Queen Latifah closed the musical portion with “Lost Ones.” Three of Hill’s six children — Selah, Joshua “YG” Marley, and Zion Marley — also took the stage to sing their mother’s music. Queen Latifah delivered the final declaration: “Respect the queen of Jersey.”
Lauryn Hill watched the tribute from her seat, singing along and cooling herself with an electronic fan. Hill then took the stage herself, performing “Ex-Factor” live before delivering a speech that touched on grief, legacy, and the weight of influence. Hill also shouted out her son John and daughter Sara, who were not among the performers.
D’Angelo’s Children Opened the Memorial Tribute
The ceremony’s second major tribute honored D’Angelo, the neo-soul architect who died in October 2025 at age 51 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. D’Angelo’s three children — Michael Archer Jr., Imani, and Morocco — walked out together to introduce the performance, offering a brief personal reflection on their father before the music began.
The Vanguard, D’Angelo’s longtime touring band featuring drummer Chris Dave, bassist Pino Palladino, guitarists Jesse Johnson and Isaiah Sharkey, and vocalist Kendra Foster, anchored the musical tribute. Ari Lennox, RAYE, George Clinton, Durand Bernarr, and BJ The Chicago Kid each performed D’Angelo’s material across a medley that moved through his three-album catalog. The segment was set against a backdrop of floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on a starry sky — a staging choice that drew visual parallels to the intimate, candlelit aesthetic D’Angelo cultivated throughout his career.
Gospel artist Erica Campbell and Le’Andria Johnson also performed during the In Memoriam segment, delivering “I Love the Lord” and “Total Praise” in honor of songwriter Richard Smallwood and music executive Clive Davis, who died on June 22 at age 94. Clive Davis’ funeral is being held today, June 29, in New York City.
Teyana Taylor Swept the Night With a Historic Three-Category Win
Teyana Taylor’s evening began when Janet Jackson made a surprise appearance to present the Icon of the Year Award, the ceremony’s newest individual honor. Taylor accepted visibly stunned, telling the audience, “They did not tell me Janet was coming!” Taylor then added three more trophies — Fashion Vanguard, Video Director of the Year, and Best Actress — making the multi-hyphenate the most-awarded individual of the night alongside Clipse.
Clipse — Pusha T and No Malice — won Best Group, Best Collaboration for “Chains & Whips” featuring Kendrick Lamar, and Album of the Year, capping a year that saw the Virginia duo’s return to full-length recording after more than a decade between projects. Kendrick Lamar won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist and shared in the Clipse collaboration win. Kehlani won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist and performed “Folded” in an orchestral arrangement introduced by Jamie Foxx and his 17-year-old daughter Anelise, who played guitar on the intro. Leon Thomas won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Olivia Dean won Best New Artist.
Performances Ran the Full Spectrum From T.I. to RAYE
T.I. opened the show with a high-energy set of “Top Back” and “Let ‘Em Know,” performing part of the set from inside a car alongside his 21-year-old son, Clifford “King” Joseph Harris III. Cardi B turned the stage into a full production, running through a four-song medley of “Hello,” “Check Please,” “ErrTime,” and “Pretty & Petty” while navigating between dancers, a motorcycle, and a casino-themed set piece. “Three babies later, I put the album out, honey,” Cardi B said during her acceptance speech. “I overcame my fear, my anxiety, and I put it out.”
Don Toliver performed “E-85” and “Body.” Baby Keem performed “Circus Circus Freestyle” and “Dramatic Girl.” Tems delivered “What You Need.” French Montana, Max B, and Rick Ross performed “Ever Since U Left Me” and “Minks” draped in furs. RAYE made her BET debut with “Nightingale Lane,” a performance Druski introduced after his self-tribute. Doechii, who won the BET Her Award for “girl, get up.” featuring SZA, teased new music during her acceptance speech, while SZA responded from the audience: “Anything for you, always.”
Sylvia Rhone’s Ultimate Icon Award Honored a Career That Reshaped the Executive Suite
Music executive Sylvia Rhone received the Ultimate Icon Award, recognizing a career that made Rhone the first Black woman to lead a major record label when she was named president of Elektra Entertainment Group in 1994. Sylvia Rhone has since held leadership positions at Universal Motown, Epic Records, and currently serves as chairman and CEO of Epic Records. The award positioned Rhone alongside Lauryn Hill and Teyana Taylor in a ceremony that foregrounded women across performance, creative direction, and business leadership — a thematic throughline that shaped the broadcast from the opening number to the final trophy.
The ceremony closed with the generational range that defined the entire evening still visible on stage — Hill’s children and D’Angelo’s children having both appeared within the same broadcast, Clipse sharing an award with Kendrick Lamar, and Druski warning artists he would send a saxophonist to play them off if speeches ran long. The saxophonist appeared more than once.
