The legendary singer will be recognized for her lasting impact on R&B, soul and funk music during a ceremony returning to Chicago on November 27.
Music icon Chaka Khan will receive the Classic Soul Honor at the 2026 Soul Train Awards, recognizing a career spanning more than five decades and her influence on generations of R&B, soul and funk artists.
BET announced the honor on Thursday, October 22. The award celebrates artists whose creativity and accomplishments have helped shape soul and R&B.
“Chaka Khan is the embodiment of soul music,” said Louis Carr, president of BET, praising her groundbreaking work with Rufus and her successful solo career.
A Legendary Career in Music
Born Yvette Stevens in Chicago, Illinois, Khan rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of Rufus. The group blended funk, soul and R&B, producing hits such as “Tell Me Something Good” and “Sweet Thing.”
She launched her solo career in 1978 with Chaka, featuring “I’m Every Woman,” and later recorded classics including “Ain’t Nobody,” “Through the Fire” and “I Feel for You,” which became a major hit in 1984.
Khan has earned 11 Grammy Awards and received the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Musical Excellence Award in 2023. Earlier in 2026, she received the Recording Academy’s Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Her work across funk, soul, jazz, pop and R&B has established her as one of modern music’s most influential vocalists.
New Music and Continued Success
Khan continues to release new music. Her 13th studio album, Chakzilla, released in September 2026, features collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Sia and Lenny Kravitz, among others.
2026 Soul Train Awards to Return to Chicago
The 2026 Soul Train Awards will take place in Chicago, where Don Cornelius launched the original Soul Train television program in 1971.
The ceremony is scheduled to air Friday, November 27, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and CBS, marking the first CBS simulcast of the awards show. It will also air on BET HER, VH1, MTV2 and LOGO.
The annual celebration honors achievements in soul, R&B and contemporary music and recognizes contributions to Black music and entertainment.
Khan’s Classic Soul Honor celebrates a distinctive voice, groundbreaking recordings and a lasting influence that continues to resonate across generations.
