Philadelphia-based rapper iCON the Mic King has signed on to run a half-marathon for charity later this month in Miami, which will benefit the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.

Crohn's and Colitis are degenerative digestive diseases that afflict more than 1 million Americans and millions more worldwide.

Though iCON himself does not suffer from either of these conditions, someone very close to him does and he has promised to help in anyway possible.

"I was in the train station in New York City this summer, just lost in thought, when I saw an ad on a trashcan for the CCFA Take Steps Walk," said iCON. "I wrote down the website and said 'Hey, why not?' I just felt a need to do something positive, something that mattered outside of me."

(To read more about the back-story behind iCON's decision to run, check out his Myspace page at MySpace.com/IconTheMicKing.)

To prepare for the 13-mile run, the rapper began training three months ago. His workouts consist of the usual regimen of weekly short runs, punctuated by longer runs on the weekend. However, he's also incorporated unorthodox training methods, including a series of races against fellow rapper and former college track star PackFM, as well as a run from Manhattan to Brooklyn, which recreates the infamous P. Diddy Junior's Cheesecake circuit.

All of these exploits were captured on film and will be released in the days leading up to the half marathon.

In addition to raising funds for the race, iCON will also donate 100% of sales of the first 500 copies of his upcoming album, Flavor Ade, to the charity. The first 500 fans that donate a minimum of $10 to the CCFA will receive a limited edition autographed copy. And for the rest of 2009, iCON will match any donation made to the CCFA on his behalf with a product of equal value, including CDs and limited edition t-shirts.

iCON's next album, entitled Cool Aide, will be released in late spring. The official album will be preceded with Flavor Ade to be released next month.

iCON will run the marathon on January 25.