Nipsey Hussle to Receive Posthumous Humanitarian Award at 2019 BET Awards

Nipsey Hussle
Prince Williams/Wireimage

The late rapper is receiving a special honor at the upcoming awards show.

Nipsey Hussle will be receiving a special honor at the 2019 BET Awards.

On Thursday, it was announced that the late rapper will posthumously receive the Humanitarian Award at the awards show for his work to better his community in South Los Angeles before his death at the hands of a shooter in late March.

"As a prolific artist and leader, Nipsey Hussle was zealous about driving change for the betterment of his community, empowering and employing those in need and being an influential and highly respected leader," Connie Orlando, Executive Vice-President, Head of Programming at BET, said in a statement. "His passing was a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry and to the culture. We will continue to remember his advocacy and be inspired by the groundwork he set forth and his dire commitment to social change."

"We are forever grateful, humbled and honored to have experienced his presence and we are invested in doing our part to ensure that the marathon will indeed continue. It is an immense honor for us to recognize him with this year's Humanitarian Award," the statement concluded.

Hussle, real name: Ermias Asghedom, was a community leader in LA who worked to revitalize his hometown and help rid it of gang violence. He was shot and killed outside his store, The Marathon Clothing, on March 31. He was 33 years old.

In May, his alleged shooter, Eric Holder Jr., was indicted by a grand jury. If convicted as charged, he faces a possible maximum sentence of life in state prison. His pretrial hearing will be June 18.

The ceremony honoring Nipsey at the 2019 BET Awards will feature DJ Khaled, YG and John Legend. The late rapper is also nominated for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the awards show.

Actress Regina Hall is tackling hosting duties for the ceremony, which will air Sunday, June 23 at 8 p.m.

Get more details on Hussle's death below.

RELATED CONTENT: