BET Awards 2026: Teyana Taylor, Clipse, Kendrick Lamar Among Top Winners
The BET Awards 2026 took over Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on Sunday night, making for a three-and-a-half-hour spectacular that went extra heavy on performances from everyone spanning Kehlani and Don Toliver to Cardi B and Baby Keem.
Among the winners of the evening, Teyana Taylor and Clipse each took home three awards, the most for any artist. Kendrick Lamar won for his collaboration with Clipse, “Chains & Whips,” as well as best male hip-hop artist for a ninth time. Other winners from the ceremony included Olivia Dean, who took home best new artist; Cardi B, who was honored with best female hip-hop artist; Leon Thomas, who won best male R&B/pop artist; and Kehlani, who took gold in best female R&B/pop artist and video of the year for “Folded.”
Throughout the evening, it became clear that the “awards” part of the BET Awards was something of a misnomer, as only five were handed out during the telecast. Nonetheless, comedian Druski hosted the event and kept the ball rolling, playing master of ceremonies throughout the evening with skits and random appearances. At first, he turned the Peacock Theater into a megachurch by recreating his pastor skit, floating across the crowd at the onset of the show. “I got this Gucci on because we all Gucci, on God,” he said, ribbing audience members including Tyler Perry, Stevie Wonder and Max B. “Welcome to culture’s biggest night!”
Otherwise, it was performance after performance at the BET Awards, kicking off with a show opener from T.I. who ripped through “Top Back” and “Let ‘Em Know.” Throughout the evening, there were standalone performances from a long list of musicians: Kehlani, Don Toliver, Raye, French Montana with Max B and Rick Ross, Tems, Baby Keem and Cardi B, among others.
One of the most powerful performances of the evening was a tribute to D’Angelo, who died unexpectedly in 2025. Following an introduction from D’Angelo’s three children, his band the Vanguard led the performance, which kicked off with Ari Lennox singing a jazzy version of “Really Love.” Raye followed with “Spanish Joint,” followed by George Clinton and Isaac Sharkey for “Chicken Grease” and Durand Bernarr with “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker.” “If you love D’Angelo, put your hands in the air,” said BJ the Chicago Kid, who closed the segment with “Devil’s Pie.”
But the biggest show-stopping moment came in tribute to Lauryn Hill, who was treated to an epic performance from past collaborators and contemporary artists including Queen Latifah, Nas, Common, Doechii, Lizzo, SZA, the War & Treaty and more. Hill was on hand to accept the Living Legend Icon award, telling the crowd, “I have always cared about the expression and the representation of the dignity of our people.”
To that point, the most notable moments of the evening took the form of bespoke awards presented throughout the ceremony. Janet Jackson, wearing a 2Pac t-shirt, gave the Icon of the Year award to Teyena Taylor, who watched Jackson’s introduction with tears streaming down her face. Kelly Rowland presented the Ultimate Icon award to veteran music executive Sylvia Rhone, who used her acceptance speech to discuss the looming presence of technology over the creative process.
“What we know is this: Black creativity is one of the most powerful forces in the world,” said Rhone. “It has shaped culture and continues to show the world new ways to see and feel. That creativity deserves continued protection. Music needs us to stand up for it like never before. Because we are living through a time through massive technological change. 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. We must honor the musician, we must compensate the creator. So let us celebrate music as the art form it is and let us make sure that the next generation of artists has the opportunity to create the songs that will change the world.”