Teyana Taylor to Receive the 'Icon of the Year Award' at the 2026 BET Awards
Culture's Biggest Night will broadcast live on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Druski as host.
Teyana Taylor will receive the Icon of the Year Award sponsored by Hyundai at the “BET Awards” 2026. Culture’s Biggest Night will broadcast live on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Druski as host.
The Icon of the Year Award honors a creative whose work, presence, and vision speak to the modern moment, and whose impact is felt across the spectrum of current culture.
Teyana Taylor is a multiplatinum singer-songwriter, award-winning actress, director, producer, choreographer, and more. She broke out with her 2014 debut VII, followed by the Gold-certified K.T.S.E. and the Top 10 The Album, building a catalog that includes the 2x-Platinum “Gonna Love Me” and Platinum “Issues/Hold On,” alongside collaborations with artists like Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Elton John, and Erykah Badu.
Taylor earned a Critics’ Choice Award for A Thousand and One, a 2026 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, and starred opposite Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in The Rip, in addition to joining the ensemble of Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair. Her visual album Escape Room earned a 2026 GRAMMY nomination for Best R&B Album. A
“Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment,” said Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET. “She doesn’t ask for a seat at the table; she builds the table, designs the rooms, and sets the tone for everyone who walks in. Her fingerprints are all over culture, and it is an honor to celebrate everything she represents on Culture’s Biggest Night.”
The "BET Awards" 2026 airs live Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Druski. Additional honorees, performers, presenters, and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. It was previously announced that Ms. Lauryn Hill will receive the Living Legend Icon Award during the ceremony.
