Sylvia Rhone to Get Ultimate Icon Award at BET
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- Sylvia Rhone will receive the “Ultimate Icon” award at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 28, broadcast from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
- The Ultimate Icon Award honors trailblazers whose work transcends their field and whose names become synonymous with excellence, according to the award’s description.
- Rhone became the first woman to be named chairman and CEO of a major record label—Elektra—at age 42, later leading Universal Motown and stepping down as chairman of Epic Records last fall.
- Rhone has worked with a roster of notable artists, including Metallica, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, En Vogue, Natalie Merchant, Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, Tracy Chapman, and many others.
- Connie Orlando, EVP & Head of Programming at BET, said Rhone championed artists and executives, shattered ceilings, and redefined leadership for women and people of color in every boardroom that followed.
- BET Awards will air the ceremony at 8 p.m. ET/PT on June 28, celebrating Rhone’s legacy and the cultural impact of her career.
Why it matters: The Ultimate Icon honor publicly validates Rhone’s groundbreaking leadership, giving visibility to women and people of color in top music‑industry roles and reinforcing BET’s commitment to celebrating cultural pioneers, which may inspire a new generation of diverse executives and artists.
