Teyana Taylor breaks down as Janet Jackson honors her at the BET Awards
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Taylor called Jackson her “biggest inspiration” after the icon made a surprise appearance to present one of the night’s biggest awards.
Teyana Taylor had already won three trophies on Sunday night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, but nothing prepared her for what came next. As she stepped up to accept the “Icon of the Year” award at the 2026 BET Awards, Janet Jackson walked out from behind the curtain to present it herself.
Taylor’s shock was immediate and unfiltered. “Oh my God, b—h, I’m gagging,” she said, realizing who was standing beside her. “They did not tell me Janet was coming, b—h.” The audience rose to its feet as Jackson, a living legend, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and five-time Grammy winner who has herself received the “Icon” honor in the past, spoke about Taylor’s breakout year. Complex reported that Jackson pointed to Taylor’s Grammy nomination for “Escape Room,” her award recognition for “One Battle After Another,” and her Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress as evidence of just how much she had achieved in such a short span.
Taylor later revealed that Kehlani had tipped her off earlier in the night, though she wasn’t fully convinced it was true. “When Kehlani said, ‘Janet here,’ I said, ‘b—h, is that the surprise? I wasn’t sure,’” she recalled. “I was planning on doing my little side Janet walk. Now I’m running up here.”
Visibly emotional, Taylor addressed Jackson directly. “I love you so much. Thank you for every text, every hug, every talk,” she said. “You are my biggest inspiration.” She added, “You don’t even understand there would be no me without you.”
Taylor used part of her remarks to reflect on the industry at large, calling it a space that rewards competition over partnership. “This business is wicked,” she said. “It teaches us to compete. But I’ve never believed that my success had to cost someone else’s theirs.”
She also shared that she’s set to graduate in September from culinary school, a personal milestone separate from her run of awards. Taylor closed her speech by dedicating the win to her daughters, Junie and Rue, saying she hopes they remember her simply as home. See her full speech below: