The block in Brooklyn where the Notorious B.I.G. was raised will be renamed to honor the life and work of the late rapper. Located on a portion of St. James Place between Gates Avenue and Fulton Street, the street will be changed to Christopher Wallace Way (his legal name).
On Wednesday, Brooklyn Community Board 2 voted 33-1 in favor of the re-naming petition, which will now get passed along to the City Council and Mayor Bill De Blasio for approval. Four people abstained from voting. During the hearing, the dedication faced some pushback from those who were opposed to supporting the profanity and misogyny in his lyrics. Transportation and Public Safety Committee Board Chair Juliet Cullen-Cheung argued, “Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is a champion of feminist rights, is happy with her moniker, Notorious RBG.”
LeRoy McCarthy, who is responsible for pushing the initiative to where it is today, explains why renaming the Brooklyn street means more than just honoring B.I.G. “Honoring Biggie symbolizes more than just one man,” he said, perRolling Stone. “It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide.”
McCarthy is hoping to have the dedication take place around Biggie’s birthday on May 21.
