Lauryn Hill is a living legend, and one of the most influential musicians of our time.
Not only did she accept the accolade, she took things one step further.
Hill treated the audience to an impromptu performance of one of her biggest hits. And she didn’t stop there.
She received the Living Legend Icon Award
On Sunday, June 28, Hill delighted BET Awards viewers — in person and at home — with a classic.
Her 1998 hit, “Ex-Factor,” is only a small part of what earned her the Living Legend Icon Awards.
Ice Cube introduced Hill to the stage.
Viewers saw a 20-minute tribute to her iconic career.
SZA, Doechii, Lizzo, Queen Latifah, and Common all performed in tribute. So, too, did Selah Marley and Zion Marley — her children.
Hill also ended up closing the show, performing “Everything Is Everything.”
During the tributes, the music icon smiled, sang along, and applauded.
On the stage, she accepted the monumental honor.
Speaking to the audience, Hill encouraged everyone to embrace their gifts and to remain true to their purpose.
That is an important message, with the bleakness of streaming and the hard push for AI slop in every corner of what should be a creative industry.
“I fight for y’all,” Hill affirmed to everyone in the room.
“And fighting for y’all is me fighting for myself, it’s me fighting for my children,” she emphasized.
Hill added: “It’s me fighting for my community.”
In addition to her music career, she has also been a champion of various activist causes.
(Hill did need to be reminded by activists to cancel a 2015 performance in the apartheid state of Israel, but hey, at least she canceled.)
Hill launched her career as a member of the Fugees.
Then, she broke off and launched her solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
“Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor,” and “Everything Is Everything” remain some of her most iconic hits to this day.
The Living Legend Icon Award honors pioneers within the culture who have influenced generations — from enjoyers to fellow artists.