Pitbull has racked up plenty of hits commercially, but the rapper is set to get a major salute from critics in June.

In move few could have foreseen, the party starter has been announced as the recipient of the Global Ambassador Award at the 2017 Songwriters Hall Of Fame ceremony.

Details below…

According to Billboard, the honor isn’t one handed out annually.

Instead, it’s reserved for artists and writers whose music has “true worldwide appeal, crossing genre, cultural and national boundaries.”

Explaining why they picked Pitbull, SHOF co-chairs Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff together with President Linda Moran, said in a statement:

“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”

The award will be given out at the June 15th ceremony, which will also see Jay Z, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Max Martin, Babyface, and Berry Gordy formally inducted into the coveted Hall.

During the course of his career, Pitbull has amassed 43 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – including ‘On The Floor’ with Jennifer Lopez (#3) and chart-toppers ‘Timber (ft. Ke$ha)’ and ‘Give Me Everything (ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, & Nayer).’

‘Climate Change,’ his next album, hits stores this Friday (March 17th).

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