In a well-deserved tribute, Will Smith has been honored with a street named “Will Smith Way” in West Philadelphia, the neighborhood where he was born and raised.
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The celebration took place on Wednesday, with Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and city leaders renaming a section of 59th Street, right next to Smith’s alma mater, Overbrook High School.
A visibly moved Smith addressed the crowd, saying, “Philly, I love you. I am yours. You are mine.” He shared a personal reflection on the lessons learned from his parents, emphasizing the value of hard work and education.
“Nobody gets an easy ride,” he remarked. “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 also featured a reunion with a former teacher, the first to call him “Prince Charming”—a nickname that would later evolve into the iconic “The Fresh Prince” for his role in the beloved TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Smith recalled, “The name ‘The Fresh Prince’ was coined in that building. I added the ‘fresh’ because it was hip-hop slang.”
In addition to this monumental honor, Smith is set to release his highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Based on a True Story,” on Friday—his first in two decades.
