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A living legend!
Lauryn Hill will be honored at the 2026 BET Awards by receiving the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award.
Per PEOPLE, the new 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."
Connie Orlando, the EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy for the network, said in a statement, "Ms. Hill is the very definition of a living legend. Across every era, she has never chased the moment; she has shaped it. 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."
The "Ex-Factor" songstress catapulted to fame in the 1990s as a member of influential hip hop group The Fugees, producing hits like "Ready or Not" and "Killing Me Softly."
In 1998, Hill released her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, garnering her five Grammy awards and featuring massive hits like "Doo Wop (That Thing)."
The 2026 BET Awards will air live on June 28.