BET Awards 2026: Teyana Taylor, Clipse, Kendrick Lamar Among Top Winners

The BET Awards 2026 returned on Sunday night (June 28), marking the network’s latest celebration of Black excellence across music, entertainment, sports, and culture.

via:Variety

The BET Awards 2026 took over Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on Sunday night, making for a three-and-a-half-hour spectacular that went extra heavy on performances from everyone spanning Kehlani and Don Toliver to Cardi B and Baby Keem.

Among the winners of the evening, Teyana Taylor and Clipse each took home three awards, the most for any artist. Kendrick Lamar won for his collaboration with Clipse, “Chains & Whips,” as well as best male hip-hop artist for a ninth time. Other winners from the ceremony included Olivia Dean, who took home best new artist; Cardi B, who was honored with best female hip-hop artist; Leon Thomas, who won best male R&B/pop artist; and Kehlani, who took gold in best female R&B/pop artist and video of the year for “Folded.”

Throughout the evening, it became clear that the “awards” part of the BET Awards was something of a misnomer, as only five were handed out during the telecast. Nonetheless, comedian Druski hosted the event and kept the ball rolling, playing master of ceremonies throughout the evening with skits and random appearances. At first, he turned the Peacock Theater into a megachurch by recreating his pastor skit, floating across the crowd at the onset of the show. “I got this Gucci on because we all Gucci, on God,” he said, ribbing audience members including Tyler Perry, Stevie Wonder and Max B. “Welcome to culture’s biggest night!”

Otherwise, it was performance after performance at the BET Awards, kicking off with a show opener from T.I. who ripped through “Top Back” and “Let ‘Em Know.” Throughout the evening, there were standalone performances from a long list of musicians: Kehlani, Don Toliver, Raye, French Montana with Max B and Rick Ross, Tems, Baby Keem and Cardi B, among others.

One of the most powerful performances of the evening was a tribute to D’Angelo, who died unexpectedly in 2025. Following an introduction from D’Angelo’s three children, his band the Vanguard led the performance, which kicked off with Ari Lennox singing a jazzy version of “Really Love.” Raye followed with “Spanish Joint,” followed by George Clinton and Isaac Sharkey for “Chicken Grease” and Durand Bernarr with “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker.” “If you love D’Angelo, put your hands in the air,” said BJ the Chicago Kid, who closed the segment with “Devil’s Pie.”

But the biggest show-stopping moment came in tribute to Lauryn Hill, who was treated to an epic performance from past collaborators and contemporary artists including Queen Latifah, Nas, Common, Doechii, Lizzo, SZA, the War & Treaty and more. Hill was on hand to accept the Living Legend Icon award, telling the crowd, “I have always cared about the expression and the representation of the dignity of our people.”

To that point, the most notable moments of the evening took the form of bespoke awards presented throughout the ceremony. Janet Jackson, wearing a 2Pac t-shirt, gave the Icon of the Year award to Teyena Taylor, who watched Jackson’s introduction with tears streaming down her face. Kelly Rowland presented the Ultimate Icon award to veteran music executive Sylvia Rhone, who used her acceptance speech to discuss the looming presence of technology over the creative process.

“What we know is this: Black creativity is one of the most powerful forces in the world,” said Rhone. “It has shaped culture and continues to show the world new ways to see and feel. That creativity deserves continued protection. Music needs us to stand up for it like never before. Because we are living through a time through massive technological change. The possibilities are super exciting. But we must stay as active on the tech side of music as we are on the soulful side. We make the algorithm, the algorithm doesn’t make us. We must honor the musician, we must compensate the creator. So let us celebrate music as the art form it is and let us make sure that the next generation of artists has the opportunity to create the songs that will change the world.”

Check out the full list of winners at the BET Awards 2026 below:

Album of the Year

AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B

DON’T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, the Creator

everything is a lot. — Wale

HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY — Mariah the Scientist

Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse (WINNER)

MUTT Deluxe: HEEL — Leon Thomas

The Fall-Off — J. Cole

The Romantic — Bruno Mars

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist

Ari Lennox

Coco Jones

Ella Mai

Jill Scott

Kehlani (WINNER)

Mariah the Scientist

Olivia Dean

SZA

Tems

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist

Brent Faiyaz

Bruno Mars

Bryson Tiller

Chris Brown

Durand Bernarr

GIVĒON

Leon Thomas (WINNER)

October London

Usher

Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Cardi B (WINNER)

Coi Leray

Doechii

Doja Cat

GloRilla

Latto

Megan Thee Stallion

Monaleo

YK Niece

Best Male Hip Hop Artist

A$AP Rocky

Baby Keem

BigXthaPlug

DaBaby

Don Toliver

Drake

J. Cole

Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)

T.I.

Best Group

41

Clipse (WINNER)

De La Soul

FLO

French Montana & Max B

Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz

Nas & DJ Premier

Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon

Wizkid & Asake

Best Collaboration

“Chains & Whips” — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)

“Errtime Remix” — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto

“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat

“Good Flirts” — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd

“Is It a Crime” — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis

“It Depends (The Remix)” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher

“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz

“wgft” — Gunna feat. Burna Boy

Best New Artist

Belly Gang Kushington

DESTIN CONRAD

JayDon

kwn

Miles Minnick

Monaleo

Olivia Dean (WINNER)

RAYE

Trap Dickey

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

“Able” — Kirk Franklin

“ABLE (REMIX)” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell

“All to Thee” — BeBe Winans

“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard

“At the Cross” — CeCe Winans

“Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend

“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin

“Headphones” — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I. (WINNER)

BET Her

“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard

“Be Great” — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty

“Beautiful People” — Jill Scott

“First” — Tems

“girl, get up.” — Doechii feat. SZA (WINNER)

“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat

“Gorgeous” — Doja Cat

“Lady Lady” — Olivia Dean

Viewers’ Choice

“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist

“Chains & Whips” — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar

“Chanel” — Tyla

“Folded” — Kehlani

“I Just Might” — Bruno Mars

“It Depends” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller

“Man I Need” — Olivia Dean

“Outside” — Cardi B

“Raindance” — Dave & Tems

“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz

Video of the Year

“100” — Ella Mai

“Anxiety” — Doechii

“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist

“Chanel” — Tyla

“Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyana Taylor

“Folded” — Kehlani (WINNER)

“LET ‘EM KNOW” — T.I.

“luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA

Video Director of the Year

A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit

Anderson .Paak

Benny Boom

Cactus Jack

Cardi B & Patientce Foster

Cole Bennett

Director X

Hype Williams

Teyana “Spike-Tey” Taylor (WINNER)

The Fashion Vanguard Award

A$AP Rocky

Bad Bunny

Beyoncé

Cardi B

Colman Domingo

Doechii

Rihanna

Teyana Taylor (WINNER)

Zendaya

The Pulse Award

85 South Show

Baby, This Is Keke Palmer

Charlamagne Tha God

Don Lemon

Druski (WINNER)

It Is What It Is

Joe and Jada

On the Radar

R&B Money Podcast

Best Movie

Highest 2 Lowest

Him

Number One on the Call Sheet

One Battle After Another

Relationship Goals

Ruth & Boaz

Sinners (WINNER)

Wicked: For Good

Best Actress

Angela Bassett

Ayo Edebiri

Chase Infiniti

Coco Jones

Cynthia Erivo

Keke Palmer

Quinta Brunson

Regina Hall

Teyana Taylor (WINNER)

Best Actor

Aaron Pierre

Aldis Hodge

Anthony Mackie

Colman Domingo

Damson Idris

Delroy Lindo

Denzel Washington

Michael B. Jordan (WINNER)

Sterling K. Brown

YoungStars Award

Daria Johns

Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth

Heiress Harris

Jazzy’s World TV (WINNER)

Lela Hoffmeister

North West

Thaddeus J. Mixson

VanVan

Sportswoman of the Year Award

A’ja Wilson — Basketball (WINNER)

Angel Reese — Basketball

Claressa Shields — Boxing

Coco Gauff — Tennis

Flau’jae Johnson — Basketball

Gabby Thomas — Track & Field

Jordan Chiles — Gymnastics

Naomi Osaka — Tennis

Sha’Carri Richardson — Track & Field

Sportsman of the Year Award

Aaron Judge — Baseball

Anthony Edwards — Basketball

Caleb Williams — Football

Jalen Brunson — Basketball (WINNER)

Jalen Hurts — Football

LeBron James — Basketball

Shedeur Sanders — Football

Stephen Curry — Basketball