Lauryn Hill Set To Receive The First Living Legend Icon Award At The 2026 BET Awards

LeadershipForbesWomenLauryn Hill Set To Receive The First Living Legend Icon Award At The 2026 BET AwardsByDominique Fluker,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Sharing entertainment stories that matter in Hollywood and beyond. Follow AuthorJun 05, 2026, 02:39pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Lauryn Hill performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyLauded performer Lauryn Hill will receive the Living Legend Icon Award at this year’s BET Awards, happening on June 29th. According to a press release distributed on June 4th, Hill will be the first person to receive the Sprite-sponsored inaugural award at the upcoming awards. The award “honors the pioneers who mastered their craft and never let go of the culture. This distinction belongs to the artists and creators whose body of work has remained essential not because the culture held on to them, but because they never stopped holding on to it.""Ms. Lauryn Hill is the very definition of a living legend," Connie Orlando, the EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy for BET, said in the release. "Across every era, she has never chased the moment; she has shaped it." She continued, “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, and it is a profound honor to celebrate her legacy on Culture's Biggest Night.”Although the Living Legend Icon Award is a new addition to the BET Awards, the show has a history of honoring icons in the Black entertainment community. For example, last year, Snoop Dogg, Jamie F...