Ms. Lauryn Hill became the inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards on Sunday night, receiving an all-star tribute that spanned her entire career before surprising the audience with a live performance of Ex-Factor.
The tribute, introduced by Ice Cube, was a sprawling love letter to one of the most influential voices in modern music. Wyclef Jean narrated their Fugees origin story before The War and Treaty opened the musical segment with Sister Act 2's Joyful, Joyful, a direct callback to Hill's film debut. What followed was a genre-spanning medley that proved how deeply her catalogue runs through the DNA of contemporary music. Doechii and SZA delivered Ready or Not. Tems and Tierra Whack tackled Fu-Gee-La. Hill's daughter Selah Marley performed the title track from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Doja Cat took on Superstar before bringing out Nas for their classic collaboration If I Ruled the World (Imagine That). YG Marley performed Turn Your Lights Down Low, the Bob Marley duet originally recorded with his mother. Lizzo enlisted Tierra Whack for a second appearance on Doo Wop (That Thing). Zion Marley performed the track named after him, To Zion. Alexia Jayy delivered Killing Me Softly, and Queen Latifah and Common closed the tribute with Lost Ones.
After a commercial break, Hill herself took the stage, telling the audience she had not been scheduled to perform but stepped in when someone bowed out of the tribute. Her rendition of Ex-Factor was met with a standing ovation, and Ice Cube returned to present her with the award.
In her acceptance speech, Hill spoke candidly about her motivations. I do this because I love y'all, she said. I have always cared about the expression and the representation of the dignity of our people. We put ourselves as artists in situations where we have to say things that are not always comfortable, but we understand that people will understand later. I fight for y'all.
BET's Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy, explained why Hill was chosen as the first Living Legend Icon. Across every era, she has never chased the moment, she has shaped it. Her artistry redefined what was possible in our music and gave a generation permission to be fearless, spiritual and free.
Elsewhere at the ceremony, Janet Jackson surprised Teyana Taylor by presenting her with the Icon of the Year Award, while music executive Sylvia Rhone received the Ultimate Icon Award from Kelly Rowland. Cardi B performed three tracks from her sophomore album Am I the Drama?, and Kehlani delivered a stripped-down version of Folded alongside Jamie Foxx and his daughter Anelise Bishop. Druski hosted the show, which marked the BET Awards' 25th anniversary.
