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SYLVIA RHONE TO RECEIVE THE ULTIMATE ICON AWARD AT THE "BET AWARDS" 2026
Pioneering Music Executive and Cultural Architect to Be Celebrated at Culture's Biggest Night, Airing Live on Sunday, June 28, at 8 PM ET/PT from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles
New York, NY - June 11, 2026 - BET today announced that legendary music executive Sylvia Rhone will receive the Ultimate Icon Award at the "BET Awards" 2026. Culture's Biggest Night will broadcast live on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Druski as host.
The Ultimate Icon 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.
A visionary executive whose life's work has been dedicated to uplifting artists, expanding culture, and contributing to the ongoing genius of American music, Rhone made history as the first Black woman to lead a major record company owned by a Fortune 500 corporation. She remains one of the most influential executives the industry has ever known. Across leadership roles at Epic Records, Universal Motown, Elektra Entertainment Group, Atlantic Records, and EastWest Records, she consistently transformed businesses and identified and developed generations of iconic artists, including Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, En Vogue, Tracy Chapman, Erykah Badu, Brandy, Kid Cudi, Gerald Levert, Anita Baker, Tamia, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, Yolanda Adams, Akon, Fabolous, Ol Dirty Bastard and more.
Most recently, Rhone served as Chairman and CEO of Epic Records, where she accelerated the label's global impact and guided a diverse roster of chart-topping and culture-defining artists, including Travis Scott, Future, 21 Savage, Tyla, Giveon, Mariah The Scientist, Zara Larsson, Andre 3000 and Meghan Trainor. She transitioned from her leadership role at Epic in 2025 after helping drive one of the label's most successful periods in recent history. Beyond her business achievements, Rhone has long been recognized for her intentional leadership and commitment to equity. She pioneered inclusive talent and promotion practices that reshaped executive culture across the industry, creating pathways for greater representation of women and people of color both onstage and in boardrooms.
"Sylvia Rhone's influence extends far beyond the music business and into the culture itself," said Connie Orlando, EVP & Head of Programming, BET. "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. Her legacy is heard in the music, seen in the careers she built, and felt in the generation of leaders walking the path she cleared. We are proud to honor Sylvia Rhone with the Ultimate Icon Award at the 'BET Awards' 2026."
The "BET Awards" 2026 airs live Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by Druski. Additional honorees, performers, presenters, and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. For the latest news, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET across social platforms.
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ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP
The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY), is the world's largest media company rooted in community, culture, and connection for the Black community. For over four decades, BET has served as a trusted home for Black audiences, amplifying authentic stories, elevating Black voices, and creating spaces where culture thrives and community comes together. Through a powerful portfolio of brands - including BET, BET Her, BET Studios, and VH1 - along with FAST channels such as BET Tyler Perry Comedy, BET Tyler Perry Drama, BET Comedy Movies, BET Cinema, BET Classics, BET Visionaries, BET Throwbacks, and BET Pluto, BET connects audiences across cable, digital, live events, studios, and global platforms. Together, these platforms deliver culturally resonant content that reflects the depth, creativity, and impact of the Black experience. For more information, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For additional announcements, visit paramountpressexpress.com/bet/.
ABOUT BET AWARDS
"BET Awards" is one of the most-watched award shows on cable television, according to the Nielsen Company. The "BET Awards" franchise remains the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is the #1 telecast for BET every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.
ABOUT BET EXPERIENCE
BET Experience is the destination for elevating unapologetic Blackness with authentic entertainment, access, and lifestyle experiences. Through the lens of millennial and Gen Z audiences, BET Experience curates the culture, standing at the intersection of who this coveted segment is and where they're headed.
ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 2012, Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service Emmy winning production company that has played an integral role in producing many of television's most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE's award-winning and critically acclaimed television includes programming from its four divisions - specials, sports, scripted and unscripted. From the specials division: award shows - The Emmy Awards, iHeart Radio Music Awards, The 2021 and 2022 American Music Awards, The 2022 Golden Globes, BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF's An Evening of Stars and ABFF Honors; specials - Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, The Light We Carry: Michelle Obama & Oprah Winfrey (Primetime Emmy Award nominee), Grace For The World: Live from St. Peters Square, A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, Lil Rel Howery: I said it. Y'all thinking it., CNN's Juneteenth: A Global Celebration of Freedom, Martin: The Reunion, John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, A GRAMMY Salute to the Sounds of Change, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin', Def Comedy Jam 25, Leslie Jones: Life Part 2, Leslie Jones: Time Machine, The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular and Rip the Runway. From the sports division: Beyoncé Bowl at the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans NFL 2024 Christmas Game (Primetime Emmy Award winner), The Super Bowl Halftime Show (Primetime Emmy Award winner), The 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game Pre-Game Show, The 2025 World Series Game 1 Anthem, NFL Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show starring Jack White and Netflix's Snoop's Holiday Halftime Party. From the scripted division: scripted series - Real Husbands of Hollywood, American Soul and miniseries - The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story. From the unscripted division: unscripted series - Heart & Hustle: Houston, Tia Mowry: My Next Act, Gabrielle Union: My Journey to 50, Oh Hell No! With Marlon Wayans, Cardi Tries, My Killer Body with K. Michelle, DJ Cassidy's Pass the Mic and Forward: The Future of Black Music, competition series - Hollywood Squares, Rhythm + Flow, Celebrity Squares, Becoming A Popstar, Sunday Best, Hip Hop Squares and Nashville Squares, talk shows - We Got Time Today, Yara Shahidi's Day Off and Face to Face with Becky G, and children's series - Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Daytime Emmy Award winner). Emmy Award winner Jesse Collins is the Founder & CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment and executive producer of all JCE programming. He is also an executive producer for the annual GRAMMY Awards and produced the 2021 Oscars. Emmy winner Dionne Harmon is President. Emmy nominee Jeannae Rouzan-Clay is Senior Vice President of Specials.
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