In January 2020, Ice Cube stopped by Uproxx‘s People’s Party With Talib Kweli and discussed the backstory of the late Eazy-E’s “Boyz N The Hood.” Cube explained that the song was originally meant for a New York-based group named Homeboys Only, but it wasn’t a lyrical fit, so “[Dr.] Dre convinced Eazy to do it.”
But Eazy-E never needed convincing to stump for Compton, California, his hometown that was put on the map by him, Cube, and the rest of N.W.A. Now Compton will make Eazy-E’s relationship to Compton tangibly and permanently inextricable.
According to several Los Angeles-based outlets, such as ABC7 and KTLA, the 100 block of Auto Drive South, located on Alameda Street and runs into the Gateway Towne Center shopping plaza, will be renamed Eazy Street.
Per The Los Angeles Times, “A block party will be held at the street on November 22 to celebrate the moment with performances and appearances from the ‘Boyz-n-the-Hood’ rapper’s children and his former collaborators.” The paper also noted that Compton City Council previously voted unanimously to rename the street in September.
Eazy-E passed away in March 1995 at just 30 years old. Mere days prior he had publicly disclosed his AIDS diagnosis.
“My dad loved where he was from,” Eazy-E’s daughter, Erica Wright, said in a statement, as per The Los Angeles Times. “Nothing could keep him from Compton. Nothing could keep his parents from Compton. This will forever be a highlight in my life.”
Eazy-E’s son, Eric Darnell Wright Jr. added, “The street naming serves as a symbol of recognition and commemoration, ensuring that our father […] has a legacy that will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come.”
This is far from the first preservation of Eazy-E’s legacy. In March 2017, for example, N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress.