Lauryn Hill is set to receive one of the highest honours of her career after BET announced that the music icon will be recognised with the Living Legend Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards.
The 51-year-old singer, songwriter and actress will be honoured during the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28.
BET executives described Hill as a transformative figure whose influence continues to shape generations of artists and music fans.
“Ms. Lauryn Hill is the very definition of a living legend,” said Connie Orlando, BET’s Executive Vice President of Specials, Music Programming and Music Strategy.
“Across every era, she has never chased the moment; she has shaped it. Her artistry redefined what was possible in our music and gave a generation permission to be fearless, spiritual and free. Her influence is woven into the fabric of the culture.”
The newly created Living Legend Icon Award is designed to honour artists whose impact has remained relevant across generations.
According to BET, the award celebrates creators who have “mastered their craft and never let go of the culture.”
Hill rose to international fame as a member of the Fugees, whose groundbreaking 1996 album The Score produced classic hits including Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not.
She later cemented her status as one of music’s most influential artists with her 1998 solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a critically acclaimed album that produced the chart-topping hit Doo Wop (That Thing) and made history at the Grammy Awards.
The project became the first hip-hop album to win Album of the Year and helped Hill become the first woman to win five Grammy Awards in a single night.
The BET Awards will be hosted by comedian Druski and broadcast live from Los Angeles.
Cardi B leads this year’s nominations with six nods, while Kendrick Lamar and Mariah the Scientist follow closely with five nominations each.
Last year, BET presented its Ultimate Icon Award to Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin.
For many fans, however, Lauryn Hill’s latest recognition simply confirms what they have believed for decades — that her place among music’s greatest artists is already secure.
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