Among the catalog of OG emcees in the history of West Coast rap, Kurupt finds his place with good reason among the more obvious contemporaries like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Tupac among others.
The Death Row Records mainstay rose to prominence via Tha Dogg Pound, contributing to cuts like “What Would You Do?” and albums like Dogg Food.
This weekend, however, Kurupt’s legacy is honored across the country on the East Coast as the rapper, born Ricardo Brown Jr., will have a street bearing his name at the intersection of Clifton Avenue and Roosevelt in Philadelphia where he was born in 1972.
“It’s not often something like this happens,” Kurupt told HipHopDX. “We’re from a small part of this Philadelphia situation. We’re on the outskirts of Philly in Darby Township. All my family’s in Philly. I was bouncing back and forth between Philly and here in Darby Township, Sharon Hill. So I was bouncing back and forth, and these are just my stomping grounds. This is what made the MC. California made me the man.”
Kurupt now finds himself among Hip-Hop legends who lived long enough to see their name bear such an honor. We’re family with the string if deceased rappers who were honored in similar ways, but to be in attendance is a rarity.
“It means the world,” he added. “I’m totally shocked. God blessed me with the talent. God gave me the opportunities. God is good.”