The 2026 BET Awards made history on Sunday night at the Peacock Theater, crowning new champions and celebrating living legends in a ceremony that reaffirmed Black excellence as an undeniable cultural force.
Teyana Taylor and hip-hop duo Clipse emerged as the evening’s biggest winners, each taking home three competitive awards during the ceremony, which was hosted by comedian Druski and broadcast live on BET. Together, they defined the narrative of a ceremony that was as much about cultural reckoning as it was about trophies.
If there was a single name on everyone’s lips at the Peacock Theater, it was Teyana Taylor. The multi-hyphenate actress, singer, and director has long defied easy categorization, and on Sunday, the industry finally rewarded her in full.
In addition to her three competitive wins, Best Actress, Video Director of the Year, and the newly introduced Fashion Vanguard Award, Taylor received the prestigious Icon of the Year award, one of three honorary recognitions presented on the night.
The Icon of the Year award was presented to her by Janet Jackson, a passing of the torch so symbolic it felt less like a ceremony and more like a coronation
Taylor has had a year for the record books, winning a Golden Globe and receiving an Oscar nomination for One Battle After Another and earning a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album for Escape Room. Sunday’s sweep at the BET Awards was the capstone on an extraordinary run, one that has firmly repositioned her from beloved entertainer to undisputed cultural icon.
Few comebacks in recent hip-hop history have been as seismic as that of Clipse, the Virginia duo of Pusha T and No Malice, and Sunday night validated every bit of the hype. Clipse won Album of the Year for Let God Sort ‘Em Out, Best Group, and Best Collaboration for “Chains & Whips,” their critically lauded pairing with Kendrick Lamar.
Let God Sort ‘Em Out had been nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards in February but did not win in either category, making Sunday’s sweep feel like a long-overdue vindication.
The BET audience delivered thunderous applause with each win, a testament to how deeply the duo’s return has resonated with fans of authentic, uncompromising rap.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to write about Kendrick Lamar and superlatives without reaching for new ones. Lamar won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist for a record ninth time, more often than the next two most frequent winners in the category combined, those being Drake with four awards and Ye with three.
He also shared in the Best Collaboration win alongside Clipse for “Chains & Whips,” bringing his night’s total to two awards. At this point, Lamar’s dominance of the category is less a competition than a yearly formality.
One of the night’s most emotionally charged moments came when Kehlani claimed Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, her first-ever win in the category, ending SZA’s three-year consecutive reign. Her video for the soulful ballad “Folded” also took home Video of the Year, completing a remarkable double.
The song had already earned Kehlani two Grammy wins earlier this year, Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. Sunday cemented what Grammy season began: Kehlani is now unambiguously the reigning queen of R&B.
The night was peppered with milestone moments beyond its headline winners. British singer Olivia Dean, who won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, replicated the feat at the BET Awards, becoming only the fifth artist to win the category at both ceremonies.
Cardi B secured Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, her third career win in the category, having previously won back-to-back in 2018 and 2019. The Bronx native had led all nominees heading into the night with six total nods, and while she didn’t sweep, she left with the award that matters most to her legacy in rap.
Leon Thomas claimed Best Male R&B/Pop Artist for the first time, besting a formidable field that included Chris Brown, Usher, and Bruno Mars, a statement win for an artist whose star has been steadily rising.
In film, Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” is already an awards season juggernaut, winning Best Movie, while Michael B. Jordan took home Best Actor for his performance in the film, his fourth win in the category, placing him just one award behind all-time category leader Denzel Washington.
Towards the end of the ceremony, a galaxy of artists, including The War and Treaty, Tanya Blount, Doechii, SZA, Tems, Doja Cat, Nas, Lizzo, Rapsody, and Queen Latifah, along with Ms. Lauryn Hill’s children, performed a sweeping tribute before Hill accepted the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award. The moment brought the house to its feet.
Legendary music executive Sylvia Rhone was honored with the Ultimate Icon Award, recognizing her decades of transformative work shaping the sound and business of Black music.
A tribute was also paid to music mogul Clive Davis, who died last week, with Erica Campbell and Le’Andria Johnson delivering a moving performance in his honor. Several other artists, Raye, Ari Lennox, BJ the Chicago Kid, George Clinton, and Durand Bernarr, performed together in tribute to R&B icon D’Angelo, who died last year.
Perhaps the most heartwarming moment of the evening belonged not to a superstar but to a teenager with a microphone and a gift for connection. Jazlyn Guerra, known online as Jazzy’s World TV, won the YoungStars Award at just 16 years old, recognized for her celebrity interviews and rapidly growing influence in entertainment journalism.
Raised in New York City, she first gained widespread recognition for her interview with Jay-Z in 2021. Past YoungStars winners include Keke Palmer, Jaden Smith, Willow Smith, and Blue Ivy Carter.
Not every story Sunday night was one of triumph. Cardi B led all nominees heading into the show with six total mentions, yet despite her Best Female Hip-Hop Artist win, several high-profile contenders left empty-handed.
Doja Cat and Latto each received four nominations without a single win, while A$AP Rocky, Bruno Mars, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, Jill Scott, Metro Boomin, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Tems, and YK Niece all went home with three nominations and no trophies, a reminder that in a field this competitive, recognition alone is never guaranteed.
The 2026 BET Awards marked the 26th edition of the annual show, which was established in 2001. On a night filled with record-setting performances, emotional tributes, and star-making moments, the ceremony reaffirmed its place as the premier celebration of Black culture in entertainment.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The 2026 BET Awards were a night of history-making and long-overdue recognition. Teyana Taylor was the undisputed star of the evening her four awards, capped by the Icon of the Year honor presented by Janet Jackson, signaled a full-circle moment for one of entertainment’s most versatile talents.
Clipse’s three wins validated their blockbuster comeback, while Kendrick Lamar’s record ninth Best Male Hip-Hop Artist award only deepens his status as the genre’s most decorated artist.
Beyond the trophies, the night balanced celebration with reverence, honoring legends like Ms. Lauryn Hill and mourning the recently lost, proving that the BET Awards remain, above all else, a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of Black excellence in culture and entertainment.
