US actress Teyana Taylor attends the 98th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15, 2026. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

On June 9th, BET announced that accomplished multi-hyphenate performer Teyana Taylor will receive the Icon of the Year Award at the 2026 BET Awards, to be held at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with internet sensation Druski as host.

According to BET, the Icon of the Year Award celebrates the artist who is defining this moment. This distinction belongs to the creative force whose work, presence, and vision are setting the tone right now – someone whose impact isn’t measured in years but in the undeniable weight they carry in every room, every conversation, and every corner of the culture they touch.

“Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment,” said Connie Orlando, EVP, Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, BET. “She doesn’t ask for a seat at the table; she builds the table, designs the rooms, and sets the tone for everyone who walks in. Her fingerprints are all over culture, and it is an honor to celebrate everything she represents on Culture’s Biggest Night.”

A true creative force, Taylor has evolved from a multiplatinum singer-songwriter into an award-winning actress, visionary director, producer, choreographer, and fashion-forward style icon. Harlem-born and unapologetically original, she broke out with her 2014 debut VII, followed by the Gold-certified K.T.S.E. and the Top 10 The Album, building a hit-filled catalog that includes the 2x-Platinum “Gonna Love Me” and Platinum “Issues/Hold On,” alongside collaborations with icons like Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Elton John, and Erykah Badu.

Over the past five years, Taylor has authored one of entertainment’s most expansive creative runs. She earned a Critics’ Choice Award for A Thousand and One, a 2026 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, and starred opposite Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in The Rip, in addition to joining the ensemble of Ryan Murphy’s All’s Fair. Her visual album Escape Room earned a 2026 GRAMMY nomination for Best R&B Album. Across film, fashion, music, and beyond, she continues to set the tone for what comes next.

The BET Awards air live Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.