‘Queen of Neo Soul’ Lauryn Hill Wins Top Prize at the 2026 BET Awards for First-Ever ‘Living Legend Icon Award’

Legendary singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill, who broke down the boundaries of hip-hop and R&B (Rhythm and Blues) and left a lasting mark on the history of popular music, has been named the first recipient of the top honor, the ‘Living Legend Icon Award,’ at the 2026 BET Awards.

■ New for the BET Awards: the highest-level award… She becomes the first honoree

According to international media reports on the 28th (local time), the BET Awards organizers officially announced that they presented Lauryn Hill with the ‘Living Legend Icon Award’ at the ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

The special prize, introduced for the first time through this year’s ceremony, is the highest-level honor given to pioneers who have fully mastered their fields and driven the development of Black culture. In an official statement, the organizers said, “This award goes not to artists because culture captured them, but because they themselves never once loosened their grip on the thread of culture—so their work has remained indispensable and timeless, a recognition for artists and creators.”

BET Vice President Connie Orlando said, “Lauryn Hill is the person who defines the word ‘living legend’ itself.” She added, “She never chased moments in any era, and she always wove and shaped trends directly. Lauryn Hill’s artistry redefined the limits of our music, and it granted an entire generation the right to become spiritual and free without fear.”

■ From the Fugees to a solo masterpiece… The Queen’s trailblazing impact reshaped the music landscape

Now 51, Lauryn Hill first emerged in the mid-1990s as the frontwoman of the legendary hip-hop trio the Fugees, quickly capturing attention around the world. ‘The Score,’ a landmark album released by the Fugees in 1996, topped Billboard’s charts, and the songs ‘Killing Me Softly’ and ‘Ready or Not’ became global mega-hits representative of an era and also served as an anthem for a generation.

Since then, her first solo debut album, released in 1998 and widely regarded as one of the immortals of popular music history, ***‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’***, went on to set a mythic run with more than 10 million copies sold worldwide. Through this album, in which she unpacked love, faith, motherhood, and self-reflection as a Black woman using a distinctly neo-soul sound, she also set an unprecedented record as the first woman artist to win five Grammys at a single awards ceremony.

■ A relay of dazzling celebration stages… Her influence is still very much alive

At this year’s ceremony, a 20-minute tribute stage featuring up-and-coming artists to celebrate the return of a legend added extra emotion. Major figures leading the pop scene, including SZA, the current top pop star, along with Lizzo, Doechii, Queen Latifah, and Common, took turns reinterpreting Lauryn Hill’s classic songs to pay their respects. In particular, Lauryn Hill’s own children, Cella Marley and Zion Marley, also took the stage, singing together her great catalog and prompting cheers and standing ovations from the audience.

After receiving the award, Lauryn Hill delivered a weighty message to younger artists: “Fully embrace your own talent and stay true to your artistic purpose.” She added, “When I fight on stage, I’m fighting for myself, my kids, and for our community.” She then surged the energy in the room to the highest pitch with an unexpected live performance of the 1998 classic hits ‘Ex-Factor’ and ‘Everything Is Everything.’

With her firm philosophy and distinctive musicality, Lauryn Hill has served as a central axis of the cultural world for nearly half a century. With news of her first ‘Living Legend Icon Award’ win, hip-hop and R&B fans around the world are sending messages of generous congratulations and respect, saying it is a “top honor she absolutely deserves.”