Will Smith Delivers Heartfelt Speech At Philadelphia Street-Naming Ceremony

Earlier this week, Will Smith was honored with a street-naming ceremony in his hometown of Philadelphia. The 2000 block of North 59th Street in Philadelphia's Overbrook section is now officially Will Smith Way. He was present for the ceremony, delivering a heartfelt speech about the accolade. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker also spoke on Smith's success, commending him for always taking pride in his city.




"With all of his accomplishments and success, wherever you see him in the world, he is unapologetic about letting you know that 'I'm Will Smith, in West Philadelphia born and raised,'" Parker said. The multi-hyphenate then said a few words about the honor, reflecting on how growing up in Philadelphia shaped him. "Nobody gets an easy ride, and that's one of the things these streets of Philadelphia taught me: that there is nothing wrong with a hard day's work," he began.




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Will Smith's New Album

"I walked across this bridge for my whole high school career in snow and rain," he continued, also repping Overbrook High School with his hat and jacket. "The Will Smith Way is encompassed in the lessons I got from my father, my mother and my grandmother." News of this latest milestone comes just before the release of Smith's first new album in 20 years, Based On A True Story. The project is expected to drop tomorrow (March 28).




Smith announced the exciting upcoming project earlier this year, also giving listeners some hints at what's to come. He unveiled the tracklist, which is divided into episodes instead of songs and boasts various features. Some of the features include DJ Jazzy Jeff, Teyana Taylor, and more. Smith's son Jaden will also make an appearance. "It's OFFICIAL!!" he declared on Instagram. "My new album Based On A True Story drops March 28. TWO WEEKS!! Hit that presave. Been working on this project for a minute and I'm itchin' to get it out to y'all." It will follow his last album Lost and Found, which was released in March 2005.




Read More: Will Smith Reveals Features And Release Date For "Based On A True Story"




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