Common has made a name for himself as, not only a tremendously successful and talented rapper and actor, but as an advocate for social change. At the Tribeca Film Festival, the Chicago-born emcee was honored with an award for social justice for his activism and philanthropy. He shared a photo on Instagram of himself with Tribeca founder Robert De Niro.

“Tonight I received the Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award and was presented to me by one of the greatest of all time: Robert De Niro," Common wrote on Instagram. "Thank you, @tribeca for all the love.”

“As an artist, Common continues to entertain us, and as an activist, he continues to lead in so many areas,” De Niro said when presenting the rapper/actor with the award. “Common — despite his modest name — has achieved great feats.”

In a tribute page from Tribeca, Common is celebrated for “breaking down barriers with a multitude of critically acclaimed, diverse roles, and continued success in all aspects of his career," and recognized for “dedicating countless hours” to being “deeply engaged in social justice and advocacy work around mass incarceration, mental health and voting” while also “empowering high school students from underserved communities to become future leaders.”