Late rap legend Prodigy is set to be honored by having a street named after him in the very Queensbridge neighborhood he proudly repped on wax throughout his career. According to Complex, the intersection of 41st Road and 12th Street, located in Queensbridge Houses in Queens, New York, will be co-named “Prodigy Way” following recent approval by City Council.
The move comes after Mobb Deep groupmate Havoc, Mobb Deep affiliate Big Twin, and Prodigy’s Fathers Alive in the Hood non-profit organization pushed for the acknowledgment to be bestowed upon P in light of his legacy and contributions to the community.
A native of Hempstead, Long Island, Prodigy ingratiated himself into Queensbridge after meeting QB native Havoc, while attending the High School of Arts & Design in Manhattan, NY. Taking on Queensbridge as his home, Prodigy would help immortalize the notorious housing project through his music and imagery, becoming one of the more successful figures to ever emerge from the neighborhood. However, Prodigy’s relationship with Queensbridge has been a checkered one, particularly in death, as some members of the community have opposed his legacy being celebrated so openly. A few years ago, a painted mural of Prodigy was defaced in Queensbridge. The artists repainted the mural only to have the second attempt defaced as well.
According to Mike Delorean, a former member of Prodigy’s record label, the motive behind the defacement of the murals can be tied to negative comments made about Queensbridge natives in the Mobb Deep member’s book, “My Infamous Life,” which was published in 2011.