Lauryn Hill is the inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards. Presented by Ice Cube, Hill was honored for her cultural impact and legacy that has continuously shaped the culture.
To celebrate, Hill enjoyed an all-star medley of her hits performed by stars like Queen Latifah and Common (Lost Ones), Nas (If I Ruled the World), and Doechii and SZA sang a duet of (Ready or Not). Hill could be seen dancing and singing along to each artist’s performances, including when her children, YG Marley, Selah Marley, and Zion Marley, took to the stage.
When it came time to accept her award, Hill began with the words, “I Do This Because I Love Y’all,” to a cheering crowd of celebrities and audience members (Watch on YouTube).
The 2026 BET Awards were held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.
A surprise of the evening was that although Hill was not scheduled to perform, she took the stage to sing a powerful rendition of “Ex-Factor” with her band.
Congratulations, Lauryn Hill.
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