Lauryn Hill Honored With BET's First Living Legend Icon Award
Doechii, SZA, Nas and more led a star-studded tribute.
The 2026 BET Awards made room for one of the most influential artists of her generation. Lauryn Hill was honored with the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award, and the moment turned into one of the night's centerpieces — a sprawling tribute to a catalog that changed music with remarkably few releases.
Ice Cube opened the segment by walking through Hill's career, from her acting beginnings through the Fugees and her landmark solo work. The performances that followed pulled from across generations: Doechii, SZA, Tems, Tierra Whack, Doja Cat and more paid their respects, with Nas, Queen Latifah and Common also part of the celebration.
It was a fitting salute for an artist whose 1998 masterpiece still casts a long shadow — proof that influence isn't measured in volume.
Source: Stereogum
