BET Awards 2026 Honors D'Angelo's Deeper Catalog

The BET Awards 2026 took center stage this past Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, with a meticulously crafted tribute to the late neo-soul pioneer, D'Angelo. This posthumous celebration, coming eight months after his passing in October 2025 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, was designed to illuminate the profound and often overlooked facets of his musical genius.

The evening's homage began with a deeply personal touch as D'Angelo's three children, Morocco, Imani, and Swayvo, stepped forward to introduce the segment. Their joint statement offered a poignant glimpse into their father's dual existence, telling the audience, "To the world, he was D'Angelo; To us, he was just Dad." They affectionately described him as "Our biggest hypeman and protector" and highlighted his joy in performing with his band, The Vanguard. "So, it's only right that they're here with us along with some other special guests to honor the man that meant the world to us," they shared, with Swayvo concluding, "So, Pops, this one's for you. Let's do it!" Their heartfelt words resonated before a snippet of D'Angelo's 2012 performance of "Untitled (How Does It Feel?)" played, transitioning into the live tribute by The Vanguard.

The musical selections for the tribute were a deliberate artistic choice, steering clear of D'Angelo's more mainstream hits to instead spotlight his "deep cuts." Ari Lennox, the soulful singer-songwriter from Washington D.C., known for albums like *Shea Butter Baby*, delivered a rendition of "Really Love," a track from D'Angelo's 2014 album *Black Messiah*. British sensation RAYE, a multi-BRIT Award winner for her debut *My 21st Century Blues*, infused her unique style into "Spanish Joint," a standout from the critically acclaimed 2000 album *Voodoo*.

Funk icon George Clinton, the legendary mastermind behind Parliament-Funkadelic, brought his signature "funk and stank" to "Chicken Grease," also from *Voodoo*. Cleveland's own Durand Bernarr, a singer-songwriter and producer known for collaborations with Erykah Badu and his Grammy-nominated album *En Route*, lent his suave demeanor to "Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker," a *Voodoo* track popularized by its inclusion in the 1999 film *The Best Man*. Closing out the powerful segment was Chicago's BJ the Chicago Kid, an American singer and songwriter celebrated for his neo-soul sound, who offered a soul-stirring performance of "Devil's Pie," another gem from *Voodoo*.

This curated approach, while celebrated by many dedicated fans, reportedly left some viewers confused by the absence of D'Angelo's radio classics. Public reactions indicated that "Many were confused by the lack of mainstream inclusion, with some reactions asking for his classics, but that's what other tributes were for." The intention behind the BET Awards 2026 tribute was clear: it was specifically crafted "for fans who loved D'Angelo beyond his radio classics" and aimed to honor "his artistry in its entirety," moving beyond the narrative that often reduced his legacy to merely a "sex symbol."

This strategy offered a distinct contrast to a previous tribute held at the GRAMMYs, which, while lauded for "understanding the assignment," focused on more widely recognized songs. That GRAMMYs event featured artists such as Lucky Daye, Raphael Saadiq, Anthony Hamilton, Bilal, and Leon Thomas, who performed D'Angelo's seminal hits "Lady" and "Brown Sugar." These tracks hail from his impactful 1995 debut album, *Brown Sugar*.

Lucky Daye, a Grammy-winning R&B artist from New Orleans, and Raphael Saadiq, the Grammy-winning musician and producer who famously co-wrote "Untitled (How Does It Feel?)", were among those honoring D'Angelo's early work. Anthony Hamilton, the Grammy-winning singer known for "Charlene" and a past touring backup singer for D'Angelo, also contributed, as did Bilal, a renowned neo-soul artist and frequent collaborator on the *Voodoo* album. Leon Thomas III, a multifaceted singer, songwriter, and producer, rounded out the Grammy performers, connecting D'Angelo's enduring influence across generations.

The BET Awards 2026 tribute ultimately underscored the depth of D'Angelo's impact on R&B and neo-soul. By deliberately showcasing his "underrated side," the event successfully reinforced his status as a visionary artist whose complete body of work, not just his commercial successes, commands profound appreciation and recognition within the culture.