Teyana Taylor Reveals Question She Asked Herself Amid 2026 BET Icon Award

While accepting her Icon of the Year award at the 2026 BET Awards ceremony, Teyana Taylor got candid about her thoughts on such a loaded title. “Tonight they handed me a title and that title is Icon of the Year and for a little minute I wondered if I was supposed to feel uncomfortable saying that title out loud,” Taylor, 35, said after accepting the award from — an appropriately fangirling out in front of — the one and only Janet Jackson during the Sunday, June 28, ceremony. “But nah, I worked my ass off 20 years for this,” she continued. “So I’m not accepting what I have earned with arrogance. I am accepting what I have earned with gratitude. In this year alone I continued to give the world the artist, actress, director, choreographer, creative director, stylist, designer, writer, producer and chef — I graduated September ya’ll.” She added, “Most of my career has been spent building my own dream while helping somebody else build there’s because I believe there is room for all of us to win even if that means pouring from my own cup into someone else’s so they can overflow. Not because I have to but because that’s just who I am. That’s pretty damn iconic if you ask me.” The Best Fashion From the 2024 BET Awards: What the Stars Wore Taylor pointed out that her outlook of helping others while climbing her own career ladder is uncommon in the entertainment industry, infamously known for being cutthroat. Teyana Taylor Getty Images “This business can be very wicked. This business is wicked, you know?” she continued. “It teaches teaches us to compete. But I never believed that my success had to cost someone else’s there’s.” She added, “If I know something, I should teach it. If I open a door, I should hold it. If I have a platform, I should make room for another voice. Because I believe greatness isn’t measured by how many people stand beneath you, it is measure by how many people are standing beside you because you’re willing to reach back. That’s the only legacy I care about, so tonight I will wear this title loud and proud because I promise I will continue to earn it.” Janet Jackson Serves Up Style During Rare Appearance at 2026 BET Awards The actress, who also earned three additional awards Sunday evening including Video Director of the Year and Fashion Vanguard, went on to thank her nearest and dearest — her parents and her two children, Iman “Junie” Tayla Shumpert Jr. and Rue Rose Shumpert. “To my mom and dad, you know it’s up for you any time,” she continued. “Oh my god, thank you for teaching me that greatness isn’t something you just talk about it’s something that you live. And I love you so much, I love you so much. And to my greatest masterpiece, my babies, Junie and Rue. If one day people remember me as an Icon I pray the two of you always remember me simply as home. Mommy loves you so so much. I love you, and you better me watching me and off those goddamn phones per usual.” She concluded her moving speech by thanking everyone who has “allo