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GRAMMYs

Notorious B.I.G.

Photo: Clarence Davis/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

News
Brooklyn Names Street For Notorious B.I.G. picture-brooklyn-will-have-street-named-notorious-big

Picture This: Brooklyn Will Have A Street Named For Notorious B.I.G.

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Brooklyn Community Board 2 voted to approve the re-naming of the late rapper's childhood street. Find out here what the street will be called
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 16, 2018 - 5:46 pm

Brooklyn has spoken and late rapper Notorious B.I.G. will get the block he grew up on named after him. “Christopher Wallace Way,” the rapper's given name, would become what is now a section of St. James between Gates Avenue and Fulton Street.

Rolling Stone reports that Brooklyn Community Board 2 approved the re-naming petition 33-1, with four abstentions. While expected to be approved, the name change still has to pass through the City Council and Mayor Bill De Blasio.

“Honoring Biggie symbolizes more than just one man,” the man who spearheaded the re-naming LeRoy McCarthy told Rolling Stone. “It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide.”

Wallace, a four-time GRAMMY nominated artist, is known as one of the East Coast's most iconic rappers that helped bring attention to the hip-hop scene in New York with Sean "P Diddy" Combs in the 90s. Outside of New York, he is known as one of the most influential rappers in hip-hop history.

Flashback To 1993: A Good Year In Music Or The Best Year In Music?

GRAMMYs

Notorious B.I.G.

Photo: Clarence Davis/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

News
Notorious B.I.G. Honored With Street Naming notorious-big-hometown-street-naming-ceremony-announced-brooklyn

Notorious B.I.G. Hometown Street Naming Ceremony Announced In Brooklyn

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On what would have been the legendary rapper's 47th birthday, the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation announce a renaming ceremony in his honor, set for June 10
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
May 21, 2019 - 3:07 pm

On this day 47 years ago, Christopher Wallace a.k.a. Notorious B.I.G. was born in New York City. Now, the late larger-than-life rapper's memory will be honored with the renaming of the street in Brooklyn where he grew up.

The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation have annoucned a special dedication ceremony on June 10 to officially rename St. James between of Fulton Street and Gates Avenue to Christopher Wallace Way. Back in November, the Brooklyn Community Board 2 approved the re-naming petition 33-1, with four abstentions. 

“Honoring Biggie symbolizes more than just one man,” the man who spearheaded the re-naming LeRoy McCarthy told Rolling Stone last year. “It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide.”

Members of Wallace's family, including his mother Ms. Voletta Wallace, his children, along with some of his closest friends, according to Billboard, are expected to attend the ceremony, which begins at 12 noon EDT.

Flashback To 1993: A Good Year In Music Or The Best Year In Music?

Travis Scott

Travis Scott 

Photo: Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

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Travis Scott Donates $100k To Houston Agency travis-scott-donates-100k-houston-arts-education-agency

Travis Scott Donates $100k To Houston Arts Education Agency

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Some of the money will reportedly go to a program in which students will recreate Michelle Obama's ‘Milly’ gown
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 10, 2019 - 1:40 pm

As platinum album ASTROWORLD and its tour continue to see success, Travis Scott hasn't forgotten about where he comes from. 

The "SICKO MODE" rapper has donated $100,000 to Workshop Houston, an arts-based educational youth development agency in his hometown of Houston, the Houston Chronicle reports.

According to the Chronicle, some of the money will go to a fashion design program (students will reportedly recreate Michelle Obama's ‘Milly’ gown) and a drone racing competition.

Scott learned about the agency when they participated in his Astroworld festival, an event featuring a Ferris wheel and other carnival games in what used to be the Six Flags Astroworld theme park. Scott hopes to have the festival every year. 

ASTROWORLD itself is an ode to Houston and the theme park. "[ASTROWORLD] might be the best music that I made. I have two records on the album that are like, man, they are the best," Scott told GQ in 2017. "They tore down 'AstroWorld' to build more apartment space. That’s what it’s going to sound like, like taking an amusement park away from kids. We want it back. We want the building back. That’s why I’m doing it. It took the fun out of the city.”

Coachella 2019 Lineup Revealed With Extended YouTube Live-Stream Partnership

 

Music Festival AUS

Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

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Australia's Pill Testing Debate Heats Up australias-pill-testing-debate-heats-following-music-festival-deaths

Australia's Pill Testing Debate Heats Up Following Music Festival Deaths

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Authorities have threatened to cancel future music fests in order to decrease accidental on-site deaths, but others say pill testing could do more
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 2, 2019 - 1:19 pm

The conversation over whether pills should be tested at Australian music festivals is intensifying after two recent deaths.

A man died on Dec. 30 of a suspected overdose at the Lost Paradise music festival in New South Wales, and another man died on Jan 1. of a suspected drug overdose after attending the Beyond The Valley festival in Victoria.

Pill testing is one possible solution to the overdose deaths continuing to happen at music festivals in Australia, according to medical experts. But the option has been met with resistance.

Although the Australian Bureau Of Statistics can provide date on the number of people who have died from drug-related cases, the data does not show how many occurred "at large scale public events," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

In 2016, there were 1,808 drug induced deaths in the country, according to the Australian Bureau Of Statistics. Illicit drugs increased that year, with the death rate from Psychostimulants quadrupling since 1999.

Authorities have threatened to cancel music festival events; the New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would do "everything we can" to shut down the Defqon.1 festival after two people died in Sept.

READ: Music Fans Traveled The World For Live Events In 2018

But some say shutting down festivals is not a realistic way of keeping people from taking illicit drugs and welcome pill testing as a way to decrease deaths.

In the past, Berejikian has had a zero tolerance stance on pill testing, stating: "Anyone who advocates pill testing is giving the green light to drugs. That is absolutely unacceptable."

But as other leaders in parts of Australia rule out pill testing at music festivals, following the recent deaths, the Premier is warming to the idea.

"If there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing, we would consider it—but there is no evidence provided to the government on that," Berejiklian said, according to the Guardian.

READ: Hearing Clinics Help Make Summer Festivals Rock

The country held its first pill test trial at the Groovin the Moo festival in Canberra in April. Participants were able to provide a small sample of their pill(s) or powder to volunteers, who then analyzed the m in a mobile laboratory.

Former Australian Federal Police commissioner has said that the governments have to consider all available evidence to save people's lives, including pill testing.

"Pill testing is not a silver bullet, but it's a proven and positive way to help prevent this kind of tragedy, has majority support from Australians and must be at least trialed on a pilot basis —if it doesn't work, then stop it," Palmer told the Australian.

After the death of the man in New South Wales, Brisbane Water Police district commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said, "the best safety message is don't take drugs."

ABC Triple J conducted a survey of 11,000 young people that showed 55% have brought drugs to a festival and 83% would use pill testing, if available.

2019 Music Festival Preview: Noise Pop, Ultra & More

GRAMMYs

Wu-Tang Clan

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

News
NYC Approves Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie Smalls Streets nyc-council-approves-wu-tang-clan-and-notorious-big-street-names

NYC Council Approves Wu-Tang Clan And Notorious B.I.G. Street Names

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NYC is honoring rap history by voting to rename two streets after the iconic rappers
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 28, 2018 - 2:05 pm

Notorious B.I.G. and the Wu-Tang Clan are steps closer to becoming a permanent part of New York City, their hometown and one of the birthplaces of hip-hop.

The New York City council has unanimously voted to have a Booklyn street become Christopher Wallace Way (after Biggie) and a Staten Island street become Wu-Tang Clan District. The measures are still pending Mayor Bill de Blasio's signature.

The street Notorious B.I.G. grew up will be co-named "Christopher Wallace Way." There will also be a "Wu-Tang Clan District" in Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/CTpLIM36jp

— Nigel D. (@NigelDPresents) December 24, 2018

"As soon as you put a name on a street sign, you say something about the public importance of that individual," University of Tenn. Geography Professor Derek Alderman told NPR. "Hip-hop deserves that respect."

Brooklyn Community Board 2 first approved the re-naming petition 33-1 in November.

NYC resident LeRoy McCarthy, who led the naming initiatives for both streets, thinks naming a street after Biggie symbolizes something greater than the rapper. "It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide,” he told Rolling Stone.

The council also voted to name a street after Woody Guthrie in Coney Island, where the iconic folk singer lived in the 1940s.

​

The block expected to become Christopher Wallace Way is on St. James Place between Fulton Street and Gates Avenue where B.I.G. actually grew up. Wu-Tang Clan District will be centered on the intersection of Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street, the location of Sobel Court Park, according to Rolling Stone.

The news of the council passing the measures came shortly after Chuck D was announced as chairman of the celebrity board for the Universal Hip-Hop Museum to open in Brooklyn in 2022. 

Universal Hip-Hop Museum Names Chuck D Celebrity Board Chair

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.