Clive Davis was honored at the 2026 BET Awards, with Erica Campbell taking the stage to perform a medley of “I Love God” in the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment.
The “Shackles” singer noted that the song was one of Davis’ favorites, a song sung by Whitney Houston and “also written by maestro Richard Small.”
Lee Andrea Johnson joined Campbell for an emotional performance of the song, where Richard Smallwood was also honored. The gospel singer died in late December due to complications from kidney failure.
Elsewhere, D’Angelo was honored in a special segment presented by his sons. Ray, Dorand Bernard, Ari Lennox, PJ the Chicago Kid and George Clinton took the stage to honor the “Unshaken” singer, who died in October after a battle with cancer.
Davis died on June 22 at the age of 94. The music mogul was recently hospitalized with an upper respiratory infection and died just six days before the 2026 BET Awards.
Davis brought great artists including Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, and Bruce Springsteen into the spotlight, and worked with a wealth of talent over his six-decade career, including Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, The Grateful Dead, Alicia Keys, Simon & Garfunkel, Jennifer Hudson, Barry Manilow, Pink Floyd, Earth Wind & Fire, Aerosmith, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Kenny G, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and Patti Smith.
Following the record executive’s death, a wave of tributes poured in. Springsteen wrote that Davis “changed my life when he signed me to Columbia Records,” while Santana honored him as a “visionary.”
The 2026 BET Awards aired live on Sunday, June 28 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on BET and other Paramount Networks.
See the full list of 2026 BET Awards winners here, and check out all the arrivals looks here.
