Overview
- Comedian and creator Druski opened the show and became the youngest person to host the BET Awards, setting a light, audience‑driven tone for the Peacock Theater broadcast.
- On Sunday, June 28, Janet Jackson walked onstage to present Teyana Taylor with the Icon of the Year Award and Taylor responded with an emotional speech thanking Jackson for her mentorship.
- Taylor also won multiple competitive honors that night, taking Best Actress, Fashion Vanguard and Video Director of the Year, making her the ceremony’s top individual winner.
- Lauryn Hill received the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award in a star‑studded tribute and a separate medley honored the late D’Angelo, introduced by his children and featuring several performers.
- Music executive Sylvia Rhone accepted the Ultimate Icon Award and urged artists and labels to stay engaged with technology to protect creative agency, a point that could shape future industry policy and contracts.