Pitbull to receive special award at Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony

Pitbull is set to receive the inaugural Global Ambassador Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony in June (17).

The new prize, which will be given out when appropriate rather than every year, honors artists and songwriters who make music which has "true worldwide appeal, crossing genre, cultural and national boundaries".

The Timber rapper, who was born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents, has been selected as the first-ever recipient and will receive the prize on 15 June (17) in New York City.

"Pitbull’s success, creativity, tireless musical collaboration and his wide-ranging social activism make him the ideal songwriter-performer to initiate the SHOF Global Ambassador Award," Hall of Fame co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and President/CEO Linda Moran said in a statement to Billboard.com.

During the ceremony, Jay Z, Max Martin, Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Chicago stars Robert Lamm, James Pankow, and Peter Cetera, will all be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as Motown founder Berry Gordy, who deferred the honor from 2016.

Empire State of Mind star Jay Z, real name Shawn Carter, made history as the first MC nominated for the honor in October (16), during his first year of eligibility, and cemented his legacy when he was chosen as part of the Class of 2017 in February (17).

"By the way, this is a win for US," he wrote on Twitter to celebrate the news. "I remember when rap was said to be a fad. We are now alongside some of the greatest writers in history."