The 2026 BET Awards, hosted by Druski, celebrated the best in culture and had some big winners.
Teyana Taylor was honored with the Icon of the Year Award, while Sylvia Rhone was honored with the Ultimate Icon Award, and Ms. Lauryn Hill was celebrated with the Living Legend Icon Award.
Taylor was a big winner as she also took awards for Best Actress, Fashion Vanguard and Video Director of the Year.
Taylor delivered an inspirational speech at the BET Awards, noting that “there’s room for all of us to win,” adding, “This business is wicked, you know. It teaches us to compete, but I’ve never believed that my success had to call someone else’s theirs. 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.”
“Because I believe greatness isn’t measured by how many people stand beneath you, it’s measured by how many people stand beside you because you’re willing to reach back, that’s the only legacy I care about,” she continued. “So tonight I will wear this title loud and proud because I promise to continue to earn it.”
Music executive Sylvia Rhone also took the stage to deliver a powerful message about protecting creativity as technological advances disrupt the industry.
“Music needs us to stand up for it like never before, because we are living through a time of massive technological change,” she said. “The possibilities are super exciting, but we must stay as active on the tech side of music as we are on the soulful side. We make the algorithm, the algorithm doesn’t make us.”
Musical performances throughout the night included Cardi B, Common, Doechii, Don Toliver, French Montana, Kehlani, KWN, Max B, Queen Latifah, Rick Ross, Tems, T.I., and The War and Treaty. Also performing are Alexia Jayy, Ari Lennox, Baby Keem, BJ the Chicago Kid, Durand Bernarr, Erica Campbell, George Clinton, Le’Andria Johnson, Nas, Rapsody, and Raye.
LIST OF ALL WINNERS AT THE 2026 BET AWARDS
Best Male R&B / Pop Artist: Leon Thomas
Best Female R&B / Pop Artist: Kehlani
BET Her Award: “Girl, Get Up,” Doechii and SZA
Album of the Year: Let God Sort Them Out, Clipse
Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Cardi B
Fashion Vanguard: Teyana Taylor
Pulse Award: Druski
Video Director of the Year: Teyana Taylor
Best Actress: Teyana Taylor
Sportswoman of the Year: A’ja Wilson
Sportsman of the Year: Jalen Brunson
