Throughout his stellar career, Nas has fought for civil rights and social justice for black people worldwide. Now the rapper will be recognized for his work both in and out of music.

Nas will receive the 2015 W.E.B. Du Bois Medal from Harvard University. The medal is given to distinguished artists and civilians who have made significant contributions to African and African-American history and culture as it relates to history and human rights.

This year's recipients include legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, founder of Children's Defense Fund Marian Wright Edelman and artist Carrie Mae Weems, among others.

The "If I Ruled the World" rhymer and the other winners will be honored at a ceremony, which takes place at Harvard on Wednesday (Sept. 30). Ali, who is battling Parkinson's disease, will appear via a video link. You can watch the live stream of the event at the Hutchins Center site at 4 p.m. ET.

Nasty Nas joins an esteemed list of previous honorees including Harry Belafonte, Oprah Winfrey, Tavis Smiley, Toni Morrison and the late Maya Angelou.

This is just another achievement to add to Nas' resume. The MC received critical acclaim last year for his Time Is Illmatic documentary, which chronicled the making of his 1994 classic debut album, Illmatic. The documentary is available on iTunes and can be seen on Netflix.

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