City of Compton Renames Street in Honor of Eazy-E
28 years after his death.
Eazy-E was honored by the city of Compton, California with a street renamed after him.
As per ABC7, the 100 block of Auto Drive South is now officially known as “Eazy Street” and runs from Alameda Street to Gateway Towne Center. The ceremony was attended by Compton Mayor Emma Shariff, a number of city council members, Compton Entertainment Chamber of Commerce president Alonzo Williams and the late rapper’s family. “My father finally got what he deserves, a monumental street in the city he put on the map,” Eazy-E’s son, Eric Darnell Wright, said during the ceremony. “It’s a long time coming, but again, I always say it’s God’s timing.”
“Compton has a lot of history, but nobody knows about it. I figured the most recent history is hip-hop history,” Williams added. “Being this is the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, I thought it’d be a great idea to approach the City Council, talk about possibly doing this and they loved the idea.”
Eazy-E, real name Eric Wright, was born and raised in Compton and rose to fame alongside gangsta rap staples N.W.A. He went on to become the Godfather of Gangsta Rap, releasing four albums with the group and two solo records (one posthumously). He died in March 1995 at age 30 from AIDS-induced pneumonia, one month after his diagnosis.
Elsewhere in music, J. Cole is one platinum plaque away from his first diamond record.
