Nas hasn’t been considered the underdog in a battle since his beef with his bff then-foe Jay-Z back in 2001. This time around, the Queens rapper hopes that the lyrical punches he threw for Mike Tyson‘s documentary, Tyson, help earn him an Academy Awards nomination.

On Jan. 12, 2010, the Academy will screen 63 contenders for the Original Song category, including Nas’ “Legendary.” God’s Son will have some stiff competition, though. Among some of the potential nominees are South African boy band Overtone’s “Colorblind” in the Clint Eastwood directed Invictus, actress Kate Hudson’s “Cinema Italiano” in Rob Marshall’s musical Nine and Karen O and The Kids for Spike Jonze’s big-screen take on Where the Wild Things Are. The chosen nominees will be announced Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT from the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The Academy Awards for the outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be given on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre.