As the esteemed creator of the smash hit musical "Hamilton," it's no surprise Lin-Manuel Miranda will add another accomplishment to his impressive résumé — the Latin Recording Academy's President's Merit Award.
Miranda will be bestowed the yearly honor at the 18th Latin GRAMMY Awards on Nov. 16 for his "outstanding and numerous contributions to the Latin community." In particular, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in September, Miranda composed the bilingual single "Almost Like Praying" with contributions from other artists, including Marc Anthony, Camila Cabello, Gloria Estefan, Luis Fonsi, and Jennifer Lopez.
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In a little over a week the single rose to No. 1 on the digital songs chart and debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 with more than 111,000 downloads. All proceeds from the single were donated to The Hispanic Federation's UNIDOS Disaster Relief Fund in an effort to aid Puerto Rico's recovery efforts.
"We are honored to present Mr. Lin-Manuel Miranda with the prestigious President's Merit Award at this year's 18th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards in recognition of his artistry, vision and the masterful ways he uses his craft to empower and highlight Latin-related issues in the United States," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of the Latin Recording Academy. "Lin-Manuel's urban and social poetry have provided strength and encouragement to every Latino motivated to get ahead. He has brought pride to our community by reminding us of the resilience and fortitude we demonstrate on a daily basis."
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