Ms. Lauryn Hill was presented with the inaugural Living Legend Icon Award during the BET Awards on Sunday. Several artists performed tributes to her work before she took the stage for an unexpected performance.
Ice Cube presented the award to Hill, who spoke about her desire to share her experiences through music. "I do this because I want y’all to have everything that I experienced," she said.
A tribute segment featured performances by SZA and Doechii on "Ready or Not," Doja Cat and Nas on "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)," and Queen Latifah and Common on "Lost Ones." Other artists including Tems, Tierra Whack, Lizzo, and YG Marley also participated.
Hill later performed "Ex-Factor" after noting she had not planned to sing. Earlier this year she appeared at the 2026 Grammys to honor D’Angelo and Roberta Flack.
