BET Awards 2026: All the Best Moments, Surprises You Missed!
The 2026 BET Awards went down in a major way on Sunday, June 28! With social media star and comedian Druski tapped as the host for the evening, the star-studded event saw blazing performances, superior fashions, and the much-needed good vibes to celebrate culture’s biggest night in only the way Black folks can!
But if you somehow weren’t able to catch the annual award show, then don’t worry—we got you!
SURPRISE: Janet Jackson Popping Out for Teyana Taylor’s Icon of the Year Award
Near the top of the show, Teyana Taylor was presented with the Icon of the Year Award. And while that alone was amazing, the moment became spectacularly impactful when Janet Jackson (yes, that Janet Jackson) came out to present the award to her. In her speech, she praised Taylor for her talents, creativity, and the phenomenal year she’s had in her acting and musical careers. Jackson also let it be known that, in addition to the Icon of the Year award, the “Escape Room” artist had also won the Fashion Vanguard, Video Director of the Year, and Best Actress awards.
RELATED: The 2026 BET Awards: Best Red Carpet Looks
By the time Taylor finally took the stage, her acceptance speech was equal parts, hilarious, heartwarming, inspiring and authentically Teyana Taylor.
Check it out below!
Surprise: Clipse Winning for Album of the Year
In one of the most surprising moments of the night, Clipse walked away with the award for Album of the Year. The win came over other artists who dropped stellar albums like Leon Thomas, Tyler the Creator, Bruno Mars, and more. But if you were expecting Malice or Pusha T to hop onstage to accept the honor, you’d unfortunately be hoping for nothing, as they weren’t there to take the award home!
I guess they really meant what they said when they said they’d just “Let God Sort’em Out!”
BEST MOMENT: D’Angelo’s Tribute Gets the Crowd Moving
In a moment most fans were looking forward to, all three children of the late D’Angelo popped up to present a special tribute to their father. The touching and hype ordeal saw performances from Ari Lennox, who performed “Really Love, RAYE, who sang “Spanish Joint,” Durand Bernarr, who sang “Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker,” BJ the Chicago Kid who performed “Devil’s Pie,” and an appearance by George Clinton.
And what made it all so special was that D’Angelo’s band, The Vanguard, was right there onstage, bringing the late soul singer’s true essence back one more.
BEST MOMENT: Ms. Lauryn Hill’s Tribute Brings the House Down
There was arguably no better moment at the 2026 BET Awards than Lauryn Hill’s tribute. If D’Angelo’s tribute was a satisfying appetizer, then Hill’s was a 10-course meal, filled with excellent performers from start to finish. Who else would think to start the ordeal with a performance from The War & Treaty—the singing duo that includes Hill’s “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” costar Tanya Blount-Trotter?
As if that wasn’t magnificent and a super sweet callback, things only got better thanks to Tierra Whack and Tems, SZA and Doechii, Lizzo and Rapsody, Queen Latifah and Common, who performed “Fu-Gee-La,” “Ready or Not,” “Doo-Wop (That Thing),” and “Lost Ones,” respectively.
The tribute soon turned into a beautiful family affair when Hill’s kids, Selah, YG, and Zion Marley, all took the stage to perform different songs off their mom’s iconic album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
There were a few other special guests and another performance at the end, but you’ve just got to see the goodness for yourself!
SURPRISE: Chris Brown & Usher Losing Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Given the massive success of Chris Brown’s “Breezy Bowl” tour and the high, high anticipation of the joint tour between him and Usher Raymond for their “R&B Tour”—it came as a massive shock when neither one of the musical heavy-hitters walked away with the win for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Instead, the win went to another deserving artist, Leon Thomas, who took the radio charts by storm thanks to his “Mutt: Deluxe” album.
