Over the weekend, the Grammy Award-winning group, Blackstreet, have officially been honored with a street dedication in their hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.
The group took to social media to post their latest namesake on Instagram. The photos include the current group members, Chauncey “Black” Hannibal, Levi Little, Mark Middleton and Eric Williams, pointing up at the fresh street sign that reads “Blackstreet Blvd.”
The group captioned the photos saying “It’s official!!! Blackstreet is literally on the map. Words can not express the amount of joy we have at this moment. Having a street dedicated to us in our honor from the city we grew up in is beyond anything we would have imagined when we were kids. Truly, a special thanks goes to Dr. Lisa Mimms, Benji Wimberly, Mike Jackson, Robert Artist, and the rest of the men and women of the Paterson City Council. And a major thank you to the city of Paterson, New Jersey for nurturing us and continually showing us love and support.”
On Presidential Blvd, between W. Broadway and Temple St. in Paterson, New Jersey, the renaming ceremony of Blackstreet Blvd was held this past Friday. Dr. Lisa Mimms, Paterson Councilwoman, was the main driving force behind giving this honor to the renowned group. She told reporters how important she believes “recognizing our local talent and giving them their flowers while they can smell them” truly is. She also said that “honoring our artists’ achievements and contributions is essential for preserving our city’s cultural heritage and inspiring future generations.”
The Blackstreet gang was overcome with gratitude. Lead singer Chauncey Hannibal spoke to reporters on what the street renaming truly means to the group. He said, “I am deeply humbled and grateful for this recognition from the City of Paterson. It is an honor to be celebrated in the place where it all began for us, and I hope our journey can inspire young talents from this community to pursue their dreams fearlessly . . . Thank you for acknowledging our contributions to music, and we will continue to carry the spirit of Paterson wherever we go.”
You can see Blackstreet’s official post via their Instagram account.