Although the GRAMMYs understood the assignment when it came to paying tribute to the late D’Angelo, BET Awards producers knew they couldn’t be upstaged. For Sunday night’s tribute, they tapped into the singer’s deep cuts to spotlight the underrated side of his legacy in a brilliant, vibrant way. 

That legacy, though, starts with his children, Morocco, Imani, and Swayvo, who introduced the tribute performance set. “To the world, he was D’Angelo; To us, he was just Dad,” they said in a joint opening statement. “Our biggest hypeman and protector. One of the things that brought our father the most joy was 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.” 

The next voice heard was D’Angelo’s as a snippet from his 2012 performance of “Untitled (How Does It Feel?)” played on the stage, before his band, The Vanguard, kicked off the full tribute. 

Ari Lennox held it down with “Really Love” while RAYE put her flair on “Spanist Joint.” George Clinton put the funk and stank into “Chicken Grease” before Durand Bernarr incorporated his suave demeanor into “Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker” (which was made popular, thanks to 1999’s The Best Man). BJ the Chicago Kid closed out the tribute with his soul-stirring rendition of “Devil’s Pie.” 

Many were confused by the lack of mainstream inclusion, with some reactions asking for his classics, but that’s what other tributes were for. Although Lucky Daye, Raphael Saadiq, Anthony Hamilton, Bilal, Leon Thomas, and more held it down at the Grammys while singing “Lady” and “Brown Sugar,” this tribute was clearly for fans who loved D’Angelo beyond his radio classics. The BET Awards 2026 tribute was for those who value his artistry in its entirety and don’t reduce him to a sex symbol—a minuscule part of his legacy. 

Watch clips from the moving tribute below.