Nas performs his classic debut album Illmatic with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Photo / Getty.
Rapper Nasir "Nas" Jones, former boxing champion Muhammad Ali and U.S Attorney General Eric Holder have been award Harvard's W.E.B DuBois Medal this year.
Muhammed Ali, battling Parkinson's disease, will appear at the ceremony via video link. Along with being a legendary boxer, Ali was a firm activist for black
rights and an advocate for the Muslim faith.
Nas shot to fame in 1994 with his debut album "Illmatic". Primarily reflective of growing up in the Queens area, the album was peppered with subtle insults to other boroughs of New York. Described as a "hip-hop masterpiece," Nas' lyrical talent and stage presence grabbed the attention of critics and his fan-base grew rapidly into the millions.
Nas brought his "Illmatic" 20th Anniversary tour to New Zealand last year. Along with his tour, the film "Time is Illmatic," was released to mark the anniversary. The documentary followed the career trajectory of Nas through poverty and adversity in his Queens neighborhood.
The W.E.B DuBois award honours those who have contributed to African and African-American culture, identity, and intercultural understanding.
