In West Philadelphia, where Will Smith was born and raised, a street has now been named in his honour, reports Breaking News.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials paid tribute to the Oscar and Grammy-winning star on Wednesday by renaming a street near his former high school.
“Philly, I love you. I am yours. You are mine,” Smith declared at a ceremony along a portion of 59th Street, which now carries his name, reports Breaking News.
Reflecting on his upbringing, he spoke about how his parents instilled in him the values of hard work and education before he rose to fame as an actor and rapper.
“Nobody gets an easy ride,” he said. “That was one of the things these streets of Philadelphia taught me: that there’s nothing wrong with a hard day’s work,” reports Breaking News.
Among the attendees was a former teacher who first called him “Prince Charming,” a nickname that later evolved into “The Fresh Prince” for his 1990s TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, in which he played a Philadelphia teenager sent to live with wealthy relatives in Los Angeles.
“The name The Fresh Prince was coined in that building,” Smith said, pointing to Overbrook High School. “I added the ‘fresh’ because it was hip-hop slang,” reports Breaking News.
On Friday, Smith will release Based On A True Story, his fifth studio album and first music project in 20 years since Lost and Found.
Over the years, he has won Grammys for Summertime, Men In Black, Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It, and Parents Just Don’t Understand.
His film career includes starring roles in Bad Boys, Men in Black, and King Richard, reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
