On Sunday, celebrities made their way to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for “culture’s biggest night,” celebrating the best and brightest in Black entertainment at the 2026 BET Awards.

Cardi B led the ceremony in nominations with six nods — she won for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist — and she performed a medley of hits from her latest album “Am I The Drama?” Kendrick Lamar, Mariah the Scientist, Doechii, Doja Cat and Latto were all up for multiple awards.

Comedian Druski hosted the show, and MC Lyte returned as the announcer.

Queen Latifah, Ari Lennox, Doechii, Doja Cat, French Montana & Max B, Kehlani, Tems and T.I. performed.

In one of the most rousing moments of the night, Raye, Ari Lennox, Durand Bernarr, BJ The Chicago Kid and Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton paid homage to the late singer D’Angelo, who died in October. He was 51.

A few special awards were handed out at the ceremony. Lauryn Hill received the Living Legend Icon Award — and several artists, including Nas, Common, SZA, Lizzo and three of Hill’s children — rendered a star-studded tribute to the “Miseducation” artist.

Teyana Taylor became the inaugural recipient of the Icon of the Year Award; one of her inspirations, legendary artist Janet Jackson, presented her with the award.

“You possess unflinching perfectionism, a devotion woven into everything you touch … You carry a calling from above, and the world is made more luminous with the art that you have given it,” Jackson said, as Taylor tearfully looked on.

Music executive Sylvia Rhone received the Ultimate Icon Award.

HuffPost covered all the biggest moments from the show. Catch up on what you missed below.

Ray J was, unfortunately, everywhere, doing everything, all at once, at Sunday’s BET Awards.

The R&B singer was up to his usual hijinks on culture’s biggest night, but he got started early on the red carpet during an unusually chaotic interview with pre-show hosts Bow Wow and Rocsi Diaz.

As some social media users pointed out, Ray J’s energy was all over the place as he got caught flirting with the sign language interpreter on the carpet, which Bow Wow immediately called out. But it was Ray J’s next response that had users dragging him up and down the timeline before the show even started.

“I got on nude underwear,” he randomly blurted out, which prompted a perturbed Bow Wow to walk off.

Later in the show, Ray J seemed to become a running joke for host Druski, who kept poking fun at his finances. But then the comedian couldn’t help but ask what a lot of people seemed to be thinking tonight.

“Seriously, why’d you lie to us, man? I thought you was gon’ be dead,” Druski joked, in reference to the singer claiming earlier this year that doctors gave him only months to live. But as we can see from his behavior Sunday night, Ray J has still been quite active in the public eye.

See what social media had to say about the chaos agent’s antics below.

Ray J is a menace 🤣😂 announcing he got on nude underwear 💀 and trynna holla at the sign language lady #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/3VEWyIuTzc

Ray J is so ghetto 😂  pic.twitter.com/NmpQK8Yr4r

Ray J is a weirdo bruh. No type of decorum, stop inviting him to these events. https://t.co/hRpWAAZxyR

Druski called out Ray J at the BET Awards for claiming he was dying, only to show up perfectly fine 😭💀“Why you alive? I thought you was gonna be dead… I was praying for you and everything.” 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/F8IAGwU3MF

Ms. Lauryn Hill received all her flowers and then some, as BET honored her Sunday night as its inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Icon Award.

After saluting the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s legendary career, over a dozen stars hit the stage to pay tribute to Hill’s iconic catalog, such as Queen Latifah, Nas, Common, SZA, Lizzo, Doja Cat, Doechii, Tems, Tierra Whack, Rapsody, Alexia Jayy and The War and Treaty. Even a few of Hill’s kids participated in her musical tribute, including Selah Marley, YG Marley and Zion Marley.

Afterward, Hill herself graced the stage to finish out the epic moment with an electric performance of her classic song “Ex-Factor.”

Watch the entire tribute here.

D’Angelo’s musical legacy was alive and well at this year’s BET Awards.

The R&B icon, who died late last year at age 51, received a soulful tribute Sunday night, as performers Ari Lennox, Raye, Durand Bernarr, Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton and more paid homage to his legendary catalog. The tribute was warmly introduced by D’Angelo’s three kids, Michael Archer II, Imani Archer and Morocco Archer.

Backed by D’Angelo’s iconic band The Vanguard, the medley performance opened with Lennox sweetly singing the “Black Messiah” single “Really Love” before British singer Raye launched into an upbeat rendition of “Spanish Joint” from D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” album.

Meanwhile, Clinton followed up with “Chicken Grease” as Bernarr took the stage to treat the crowd to his version of “Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker.” BJ the Chicago Kid then closed things out by singing the classic cut “Devil’s Pie.”

Watch the performances here.

Durand Bernarr brought his Grammy-winning energy to the BET Awards stage Sunday night.

The R&B singer hilariously reenacted his epic Grammys stage run as host Druski conducted his viral Coulda Been Records auditions during the show.

“Oh now, this what we need!” Druski yelled as Bernarr sprinted onstage to sing part of Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk.”

After briefly joining in, in true Druski fashion, the comedian gave Bernarr the boot, jokingly calling for security to escort him off stage. Watch the funny moment below.

Coulda Been Records with Durand Bernarr… 😭😭 #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/Mql7YjbOPW

Lizzo kept her head high at Sunday's BET Awards, appearing undaunted in the wake of the catastrophic release of her comeback album "Bitch."

Soaking in the spotlight wearing a sheer, sparkling chocolate brown number, the "Juice" songstress refused to let dismal record sales dampen her mood.

With less than 2,700 copies sold in its first week, Lizzo admitted "Bitch's" bonafide flop felt "soul-crushing" during an interview on YouTube's "Swiftologist" released that same day.

The "Truth Hurts" singer said she had to "come to terms with the fact" that her "connection, musically, with the world is different" than when she last released an album in 2022.

Lizzo was embroiled in controversy in 2023 after former backup dancers accused her of assault, sexual harassment and false imprisonment. She staunchly denies the allegations.

Reflecting on her fall from being a "radio darling" in an X post earlier this month, the artist noted massive changes in the music industry as well as how "very obvious & public attack on my career changed things."

Teyana Taylor couldn’t contain herself Sunday night as BET honored her with its inaugural Icon of the Year award at the BET Awards. The Grammy-nominated singer and Oscar nominee almost immediately broke down in tears as Janet Jackson emerged to present her with the honor.

“It seems like only yesterday our rose from Harlem grew out of the concrete and blossomed into our Icon of the Year,” Jackson said.

From one icon to another, the pop legend poured into Taylor, telling her, “You possess unflinching perfectionism, a devotion woven into everything you touch … You carry a calling from above, and the world is made more luminous with the art that you have given it,” while also acknowledging Taylor’s recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, as well as her Golden Globe win for her role in “One Battle After Another.”

Still crying tears, Taylor finally sauntered onstage to accept her award from Jackson, whom she called her “biggest inspiration.”

“Oh my God, bitch, I’m gagging,” Taylor joked at the start of her speech while looking over at Jackson. “I love you so much,” she continued, “Thank you, thank you, thank you for always seeing me … There would be no me without you.”

Taylor went on to discuss the significance of her award, saying, “Tonight, they handed me a title: Icon of the Year. For a little minute, I wondered if I was supposed to feel uncomfortable saying that title out loud. But nah, I worked my ass off 20 years for this. So I'm not accepting what I've earned with arrogance. I'm accepting what I've earned with gratitude.”

The Icon of the Year recipient added: “Most of my career has been spent building my own dream while helping somebody else build theirs, because I believe there's room for all of us to win, even if that means pouring from my own cup into someone else's so they can overflow. Not because I had to, but because that's just who I am. That's pretty damn iconic if you ask me, baby.”

In addition to Icon of the Year, Taylor also won Best Actress, Video Director of the Year and the first Fashion Vanguard Award at this year’s BET Awards.

“Michael” broke another major box-office record on Sunday, and leading stars Jaafar Jackson and Nia Long got to celebrate the achievement in real-time at the BET Awards.

After pulling in $977 million worldwide, the Michael Jackson movie officially dethroned Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” as the highest-grossing biopic of all time, Variety reported. If it continues to pace ahead, “Michael” could become the second film this year to cross the billion-dollar mark.

While on the BET Awards red carpet, Nia Long — who portrayed Katherine Jackson in the biopic — reacted to the milestone, saying, “I’m just happy for Michael.”

“Michael has influenced everyone in this room, at some point in time,” she continued, “and the film is really a celebration of his legacy and his music, and just watching Jaafar embody his uncle and bring the character to life, and give us a minute to fantasize about what it was like to watch Michael perform.”

The "Michael" movie is officially the biggest biopic of all time! Love to Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, and the entire cast & crew 👏🏾Head over to YouTube NOW for the #BETAwards Red Carpet LIVE! pic.twitter.com/EUqRMcdiZg

Singer-songwriter Muni Long had a positive health update as she graced the red carpet of the BET Awards, just days after revealing she underwent an emergency double lung transplant late last year.

"I’m feeling good, as long as I do everything I’m supposed to do," the Grammy winner told The Hollywood Reporter, while glowing in cyan sparkles.

"Make sure I take my mask everywhere, take hand sanitizer — it’s really how we should all be," Long went on. "But I’ll be a lot more cognizant of my surroundings, and what I’m eating, and things like that. It’s actually a much more healthy lifestyle."

The "Made for Me" artist recounted her health crisis to "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts last Tuesday, recalling how doctors told her that, without surgery, severe complications from lupus would leave her with only a week to live.

"I'm feeling good." Muni Long gives THR an update on her health and new music since recovering from a recent health crisis. #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/vUwPXqIqyT

Janet Jackson paid homage to the late rap legend Tupac Shakur at Sunday's BET Awards.

In a fitting tribute to her "Poetic Justice" co-star, the singer teamed a vintage 2Pac tee with tailored trousers, chunky jewelry and a veiled fedora.

It was a rare public appearance for Jackson, who was there to bestow triple-threat Teyana Taylor with the inaugural Icon of the Year award.

The 2026 BET Awards are kicking off culture’s biggest night with an epic crossover event with NPR’s Tiny Desk and Mr. 106 & Park himself.

On Sunday, NPR’s iconic live-music series made its television debut on BET with the premiere of Bow Wow’s highly anticipated Tiny Desk concert in honor of Black Music Month. It marks the first time the internet staple has ever left the digital space in its 15-year history.

Bow Wow’s performance consisted of throwback hits like “Bounce With Me,” “Shortie Like Mine,” “Outta My System,” “Fresh Azimiz,” “Let Me Hold You” and “Like You.”

While audiences got to enjoy the rapper’s exclusive world premiere ahead of Sunday's show, the full Tiny Desk performance will hit NPR’s YouTube channel on Monday at 12:00 p.m. ET.

The BET Awards are here! On Sunday, some of the best and brightest in Black entertainment flocked to the Peacock Theater to celebrate culture's biggest night.

It's a black-tie affair.

See some of the best looks below!

Cardi B leads the ceremony in nominations with six nods. Kendrick Lamar and Mariah The Scientist each nabbed five nominations. Doechii, Doja Cat, Clipse, Teyana Taylor, Olivia Dean and Latto received four noms apiece.

See the full list below at BET.com.

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