In the heart of West Philadelphia, where Will Smith was born and raised, there is now a street named in his honor. The Oscar and Grammy-winning icon returned to his hometown on Wednesday (March 26) to celebrate the dedication of “Will Smith Way.” The newly renamed stretch of 59th Street runs adjacent to the multi-hyphenate’s alma mater, Overbrook High School.
“Philly, I love you. I am yours. You are mine,” the beloved actor declared during the ceremony, caught by Fox 29 Philadelphia. He also took a moment to mention his parents — also both Philly natives — who drilled important values into him before his rise to fame.
“The Will Smith way is encompassed in the lessons that I got from my father, my mother and my grandmother.” The 56-year-old then compared his loved ones to a triangle, with discipline (his father) at the base, and education (his mother) and faith (his grandmother) at the sides.
“Nobody gets an easy ride,” he added. “That was one of the things these streets of Philadelphia taught me: that there’s nothing wrong with a hard day’s work.”
The event drew an outpouring of love from fans and familiar faces, including a former teacher who once dubbed him “Prince Charming” — a moniker that would later evolve into “The Fresh Prince,” and that would soon be eponymous with his breakout TV show.
Gesturing toward his alma mater, Smith shared a nostalgic revelation: “The name ‘The Fresh Prince’ was coined in that building. I added the ‘fresh’ because it was Hip-Hop slang.”
The tribute comes just ahead of a milestone moment in Smith’s career. On Friday (March 28), Smith will drop Based on a True Story, his first studio album in two decades since Lost and Found. The LP will include his recent single “Beautiful Scars” featuring Big Sean.
Take a look at the Fresh Prince getting his West Philadelphia street name above or listen below:
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