Teyana Taylor To Be Honored With Icon Of The Year At Bet Awards

Teyana Taylor's Moment to Shine

Teyana Taylor is adding another accolade to her impressive collection. The multi-talented star is set to be honored with the Icon of the Year Award at the 2026 BET Awards. This prestigious accolade celebrates artists who have made a lasting impact in the entertainment industry, with Taylor joining the ranks of past honorees like Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, and Usher.

“Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment,” said Connie Orlando, BET executive vice president of specials, music programming, and strategy.

A Versatile Career

Taylor's career is as diverse as it is successful, with her talents shining across music, film, television, directing, and fashion. In the past year alone, the Harlem native snagged a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another and earned an Oscar nomination for the same role. Her musical prowess continued to dazzle, with a Grammy nod for Best R&B Album for her project Escape Room. Taylor also took on roles in Ryan Murphy's All’s Fair and the film The Rip, alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Trailblazer in Music

Teyana first burst onto the music scene in 2014 with her debut album VII. Her sophomore effort, K.T.S.E., featured the certified gold hit "A Rose In Harlem," while her discography boasts the double-platinum "Gonna Love Me" and platinum "Issues/Hold On." Taylor's collaborations with legends like Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Missy Elliot, and Erykah Badu highlight her star power. Notably, Lauryn Hill will also receive recognition at the BET Awards with the Living Legend Award.

The Big Night

At 35, Taylor stands poised to receive one of the highest honors at the BET Awards. Reflecting on her career, she remarked, “You can see my patience being in this game since I was 15, doing a little bit of everything." The awards ceremony will be hosted by Druski at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and broadcast live on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT across multiple networks. BET has promised more exciting announcements of honorees, performers, and special guests leading up to the event.