September 9, 2023 was an important day for music, for hip-hop and for what hip-hop really means for New York: The corner of Ludlow Street and Rivington Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, made famous for being photographed on the cover of Beastie Boys‘ Paul’s Boutique was officially named Beastie Boys Square.
The surviving members of the legendary act Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad Rock” Horovitz were in attendance for the unveiling — and made a few brief comments. While it was a celebratory occasion, it was underpinned by a sense of real sadness — Adam “MCA” Yauch has been dead for over a decade — and a sense of making sure that we give our legends their deserved flowers before it’s too late.
I was there for a good portion of the events. So check out some photos below.
Caption: I’ll meet you down at Beastie Boys Square.
Caption: The official unveiling of Beastie Boys Square.
Caption: We couldn’t forget to show love to the late great Jam Master Jay and MCA. They’re in our hearts and minds forever.
Caption: Run DMC forever, y’all!
Caption: Cultural advocate LeRoy McCarthy was in attendance. McCarthy has been responsible for the official naming of several streets after some of the city’s most beloved rappers. He was also responsible for the naming of Beastie Boys Square. This seemed like a bit of a victory lap after trying to convince the city to do so for the better part of a decade.
Caption: Beastie Boys fans on Rivington Street.
Caption: What made the afternoon so wonderful was that I ran into friends I hadn’t seen in some time, including my pal Jon Hammer, who I caught posing at this installation on Rivington Street.
