Sylvia Rhone received the Ultimate Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards, with Kelly Rowland presenting the honor during the ceremony in Los Angeles.
In remarks from the stage, Rowland recognized Rhone’s decades of work in music and her influence on generations of artists, executives, and creative teams. Rhone has held major leadership roles across the industry and is widely recognized as one of the most important Black women executives in modern music history.
Rhone used her acceptance speech to thank the artists, producers, writers, and teams who shaped her career. She also spoke about the need to protect creativity as technology continues to change how music is made and shared.
Her message focused on keeping human expression at the center of the business. The moment added a reflective note to a night built around Black music, culture, and achievement.