Tiny Desk is turning June into a celebration of Black music’s full sweep. NPR Music and Tiny Desk mark Black Music Month with a multi-generational, month-long lineup, and starting June 2, ten artists spanning genres and generations will take over the popular global series. 2026 marks the fifth year of the Tiny Desk tradition honoring the culture, foundation, and legacy of Black music.
The roster pulls from across eras and styles. GENA, Karriem Riggins and Liv.e, Ayra Starr, Joe, The Paradox, Floetry, Fred Hammond, Eve, 8 Ball & MJG, Shaboozey, and Bow Wow all step behind the desk. BET icons Donnie Simpson, Big Tigger, and Bow Wow are helping announce the lineup across social media, and every concert lands on NPR.org and NPR Music’s YouTube channel.
This year’s edition is built as a tribute to BET. Bobby Carter, host and series producer for Tiny Desk, framed the series as standing on the shoulders of programs like Video Soul, Rap City, and 106 & Park, born in the 1980s when other networks refused to feature Black artists. He says these ten shows reflect the essence of Black music. The lineup makes good on that promise, threading R&B, hip-hop, gospel, Afrobeats, and more into a single month.
BET President Louis Carr echoed the sentiment, pointing to more than 40 years of championing Black music and artistry without compromise. He called the Tiny Desk salute a profound recognition of the culture BET has built since day one, and a reminder that the work of elevating Black music continues.
Throughout June, audiences can also expect behind-the-scenes and additional content across social media. The full celebration runs at npr.org/music, with all performances at npr.org/tinydesk.