Lauryn Hill took the Peacock Theater stage Sunday night and reminded the world exactly why she is the culture, delivering a soul-stirring rendition of “Ex-Factor” as part of her tribute segment at the 2026 BET Awards.
The 2026 BET Awards aired live on June 28, hosted by content creator Druski. The night belonged to Ms. Hill, who became the inaugural recipient of BET’s brand-new Living Legend Icon Award, an honor bestowed upon artists who have “mastered their craft and never let go of the culture.”
The tribute segment built to its peak when Hill stepped to the mic and performed “Ex-Factor,” the timeless ballad off her landmark 1998 debut. The song is widely regarded as one of Hill’s finest moments, a poignant meditation on the complexity of a troubled relationship, lifted by her raw emotional delivery and unflinching honesty. Decades after its release, the performance proved the song has lost none of its power.
The moment landed even heavier given the weight of the evening. Hill’s entire catalog exists as a singular achievement; “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, resides in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and is preserved by the Library of Congress.
“Ms. Lauryn Hill is the very definition of a living legend,” said Connie Orlando, BET’s EVP of specials, music programming, and music strategy. “Across every era, she has never chased the moment; she has shaped it.”
The recognition was long overdue for an artist whose influence is woven into virtually every corner of modern R&B and hip-hop. “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making Hill the first female hip-hop artist to claim that distinction. She also earned eight Grammys across her career, more than any other female rapper in history.
Hill’s appearance at this year’s show followed a string of rare public moments. Earlier this year, she led the Grammy Awards tribute to the late Roberta Flack and D’Angelo, her first Grammy stage appearance since 1999.
Sunday’s “Ex-Factor” performance was a full-circle moment, a living legend stepping into the light, accepting her flowers, and proving that some voices only deepen with time.
