Hip hop has always been about putting your city on the map, so there may be no greater hometown salute than having an actual street named after you. Check out all the rappers with streets named after them and the legends who still deserve the honor.
Following the recent dedication of ODB Jones Way in Brooklyn, honoring the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard near the block where his grandmother still lives. We are celebrating the ways cities preserve rap history beyond plaques and trophies.
According to Stereogum, family members, local officials, and supporters gathered in Bedford-Stuyvesant to commemorate one of Wu-Tang Clan’s most unforgettable voices. They have since turned a neighborhood corner into a permanent piece of hip hop history.
The honor continues a tradition that has steadily grown over the last two decades. As XXL documented in its history of rappers with streets named after them, Run DMC helped kick off the movement in 2009 with Run DMC JMJ Way in Queens — honoring the late Jam Master Jay. Since then, cities across America have followed suit by recognizing artists whose music forever changed both their communities and hip hop culture.
Today, names like Christopher Wallace Way in Brooklyn, Tupac Shakur Way in both Oakland and Baltimore, Nipsey Hussle Square in Los Angeles, Wu Tang Clan District on Staten Island, Big Pun Place in the Bronx, Missy Elliott Boulevard in Portsmouth, E 40 Way in Vallejo, Bone Thugs N Harmony Way in Cleveland, DMX’s Earl Simmons Way in Yonkers, Rick Ross Way in Mississippi, T Pain Lane in Tallahassee, and ODB Jones Way all stand as reminders that rap’s influence extends to the streets and communities we live and breathe in.
Still, there are plenty of icons whose hometowns could make similar moves.
Jay Z — Brooklyn, New York
While Brooklyn already celebrates The Notorious B.I.G. and now Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Shawn Carter’s impact on music, business, and the borough itself makes a strong case for a permanent street dedication.
Kendrick Lamar — Compton, California
Compton already honors Eazy E, but Kendrick Lamar has spent his career elevating the city’s stories on a global stage while collecting Pulitzer Prizes, Grammys, and cultural acclaim.
Ice Cube — Los Angeles, California
From N.W.A to Hollywood, Cube’s contributions to music, film, and West Coast culture deserve permanent recognition.
Street names may seem symbolic, but they serve as living history lessons. They remind future generations that the artists who soundtracked neighborhoods also helped shape them. As more cities embrace hip hop as an essential part of American culture, expect even more legendary names to become permanent fixtures on street signs across the country.
What legends do you think deserve a street named after them? Comment below.
