LOS ANGELES — Soon, you can be cruising down Eazy Street in your ’64.
Next week, Compton will unveil the newly renamed road dedicated to the late rap icon Eazy-E, who was born and raised in the city. The rapper, alongside fellow N.W.A. members Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, MC Ren and Arabian Prince, popularized Compton through their era-defining West Coast rap albums. Eazy-E, whose real name is Eric Lynn Wright, died in March 1995 at age 30, days after he announced he had been diagnosed with AIDS.
In September, the Compton City Council unanimously voted to rename the 100 block of Auto Drive South, which runs off of Alameda Street and into the Gateway Towne Center shopping plaza, as “Eazy Street.” A block party will be held at the street on Nov. 22 with performances and appearances from the “Boyz-n-the-Hood” rapper’s children and his former collaborators.
“My dad loved where he was from,” said Erica Wright, the rapper’s daughter, in a statement. “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., who rapped under the name Lil Eazy-E, 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.”
