Sylvia Rhone to Receive BET Ultimate Icon Award at 2026 BET Awards

On a bright Los Angeles night, Sylvia Rhone will be honored with the BET Ultimate Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards.

The ceremony, slated for Sunday, June 28, 2026, will take place at the Peacock Theater and air live on BET at 8 p.m. ET. Druski will serve as host.

BET, founded in 2001 by Black Entertainment Television, has long celebrated excellence in music, film, television, sports and philanthropy. The Ultimate Icon Award is reserved for figures whose influence transcends their field and whose names have become synonymous with cultural excellence. Previous recipients include Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Kirk Franklin and Mariah Carey.

According to a BET release, the award “honors the trailblazers whose work has transcended their field, figures whose names have become synonymous with excellence. This distinction belongs to those few who didn’t just succeed within the culture; they expanded what the culture believed was possible, leaving a mark so enduring it cannot be measured by any single era or achievement.”

Rhone’s five-decade career began as a secretary at the now‑defunct Buddha Records. She rose to Senior Vice President of Black Music at Atlantic Records, working with Brandy, MC Lyte, Yo Yo and LeVert. In 1994 she became the first Black woman to chair a major label imprint when she was named Chairman and CEO of Elektra Entertainment Group, part of Warner Music Group. During that tenure, Elektra signed and promoted Missy E, Busta Rhymes, En Vogue, Metallica and Natalie Merchant.

After Elektra, Rhone led Universal Motown Records, signing India Arie, Akon, Kid Cudi and Erykah Badu, and served as the distribution partner for Cash Money Records. In 2014 she was appointed president of Epic Records, a role she held until 2019. From 2019 to 2025 she served as Epic’s chair and CEO, overseeing the careers of Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Mariah the Scientist, Giveon, Future and Tyla. She stepped down as chairman and CEO of Epic in September 2025.

In a farewell memo to Epic staff, Rhone wrote, “I am blessed to have worked with some of the most brilliant and influential artists in the history of recorded music. And I’ve discovered this: when we channel our strength and creativity in service of a vision, and collaborate with artists who do the same, we create music that reflects our world, questions our assumptions, and uplifts our spirits.” The memo highlighted her belief that music’s DNA is being reimagined and that the industry is building its future in real time.

Connie Orlando, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming at BET, said, “Sylvia Rhone’s influence extends far beyond the music business and into the culture itself. She championed artists and executives, shattered ceilings that had never been broken, and redefined what leadership looks like for women and people of color in every boardroom that followed.” Orlando added that Rhone’s legacy is heard in the music, seen in the careers she built, and felt in the generation of leaders walking the path she cleared.

At 74, Rhone remains a pioneer in an industry that has historically limited opportunities for Black women. Her appointments to top positions at Elektra, Universal Motown and Epic set a precedent for diversity in executive leadership. The BET Ultimate Icon Award acknowledges the breadth of her impact on the music business, the artists she helped launch, and the cultural shifts she helped initiate.

The 2026 BET Awards will feature performances and award presentations in addition to the Ultimate Icon honor. The ceremony’s broadcast on BET will reach a national audience, and the award will be presented live on stage in front of an audience at the Peacock Theater.

The BET Awards organization has not announced any additional changes to the ceremony format. The Ultimate Icon Award will be presented during the main televised segment, following the usual schedule of music and entertainment awards.

Rhone’s recognition at the BET Awards underscores the ongoing conversation about representation and leadership in the music industry. Her career demonstrates how executive decisions can shape the trajectory of artists and the broader cultural landscape.

The BET Awards 2026 will take place on June 28, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event will be broadcast live on BET at 8 p.m. ET, with Druski as host. Sylvia Rhone’s Ultimate Icon Award will be presented during the ceremony, honoring her legacy as a trailblazer in the music business.