• Home
  • News
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Arts & Entertainment

John Legend Becomes 1st African-American Man—and 2nd Youngest—to EGOT

By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Natasha Bach
Natasha Bach
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 10, 2018, 11:26 AM ET

John Legend had an eventful weekend.

The singer/actor made history on Sunday, completing his EGOT after receiving an Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards for the televised musical Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.

Legend is not just one of the youngest to have the honor of receiving an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony at age 39—he’s also the first African-American man to do so. The only younger winner is Robert Lopez, who is one of the creators of The Book of Mormon. He was just 8 months younger. Lopez also just barely beat out Legend’s timeframe to complete the EGOT—he did it in ten years, two years quicker than Legend’s 12.

Https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnh1l6yhx1M/?utm_source=ig_embed

Before Sunday, there were only 12 people who had the distinction of winning all four prestigious awards. Beside Lopez, the list includes the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg, and Richard Rodgers, who was the first to have received the quadruple crown. But the five awards Jesus Christ Superstar took home on Sunday added not just Legend to the list, but also composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, bringing the total to 15.

Legend has won a total of 10 Grammys since taking home his first award as best new artist in 2006. In 2015, he won an Oscar for best original song from the movie Selma, and last year, he won a Tony for Best Revival of a Play as a co-producer of Jitney. While Sunday’s award was for his role as co-producer of Jesus Christ Superstar, there’s also a chance Legend will win an acting Emmy later this month, as he also appeared in the show.

Sunday’s triple win is the first time in history that more than two people have reached EGOT status in a calendar year. Other big winners included Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which took home five awards, with the late Bourdain taking home the prize for Outstanding Writing for a Non-Fiction Program. RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye won four and three awards, respectively.

About the Author
By Natasha Bach
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Global 500
  • Coins2Day 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Coins2Day Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Coins2Day Brand Studio
  • Coins2Day Analytics
  • Coins2Day Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Coins2Day
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Coins2Day Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Coins2Day Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.