The 2026 BET Awards were held on Sunday night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with singer, actress and filmmaker Teyana Taylor emerging as the ceremony’s biggest winner after collecting four awards in a night that recognised achievements across music, film, television and sports.
Hosted by comedian and digital creator Druski, the annual awards ceremony brought together artists, actors, athletes and industry leaders to honour outstanding contributions by Black entertainers and sports personalities over the past year. Taylor received four of the night’s top honours, winning Icon of the Year, Best Actress, Video Director of the Year and the Fashion Vanguard Award, making her the most decorated recipient at this year’s ceremony.
One of the evening’s defining moments came when music icon Lauryn Hill became the inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Icon Award, a new honour introduced to recognise exceptional and lasting contributions to music and culture. The presentation was followed by a tribute performance featuring several leading artists, including SZA, Doechii, Nas, Doja Cat, Queen Latifah and Tems, before Hill concluded the segment with a live performance of her classic hit Ex-Factor.
Veteran music executive Sylvia Rhone was also recognised with the BET Ultimate Icon Award in acknowledgement of her decades-long contribution to the global music industry. Rhone has played a significant role in developing and managing the careers of numerous internationally acclaimed recording artists throughout her career.
Elsewhere during the ceremony, Cardi B won Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, while WNBA star A’ja Wilson was named Sportswoman of the Year, reflecting the awards’ continued recognition of excellence beyond the entertainment industry.
The BET Awards, now in their 26th edition, remain one of the entertainment industry’s most prominent annual events celebrating Black achievement across music, film, television, sports and popular culture. Since their inception in 2001, the awards have served as a platform to recognise artistic excellence while highlighting cultural influence and industry leadership.
This year’s ceremony combined competitive award presentations with live musical performances, special tributes and career achievement recognitions, maintaining a format that has become a defining feature of the annual event.
The introduction of the Living Legend Icon Award marked one of the notable additions to the 2026 ceremony, expanding BET’s recognition of artists whose work has had a sustained impact on music and culture over several decades.
Doja Cat in L.A. in June 2026. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty
The event also reflected the growing diversity of talent being recognised across entertainment, with winners spanning music performance, acting, directing, fashion, sports and executive leadership.
Held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and broadcast live on BET, the ceremony concluded another year of celebrating artistic excellence and cultural achievement, with Teyana Taylor’s multiple wins emerging as the defining story of the night.
