Good things come to those who wait, and for fans of hip-hop icons Beastie Boys, a long-lingering dream is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Beastie Boys Square Street co-naming request was officially introduced at the NYC Council on June 2nd, 2022. LeRoy McCarthy, founder, and president of the Brooklyn-based Entertainment Company Heterodoxx Inc., independently started the campaign for NYC to formally honor Hip Hop Arts & Culture citywide in 2013.
Beastie Boys Square at the corner of Rivington St. and Ludlow St. in Lower East Side, Manhattan, efforts are to recognize the iconic group, location, and the cover of the Beastie Boys’ landmark second album, 1989’s Paul’s Boutique. This street sign honors Beastie Boys, who are Native New Yorkers who brought the world New York spirit in their own way and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
The NYC Council advanced the street naming for the full vote to be held on June 7, 2022.
McCarthy states in the attached 2014 resolution, “The Beastie Boys were established in July 1981 as part of the Lower East Side’s CBGB punk music scene, and frequently played in that venue. In 1984, the Beastie Boys were the first white and the first Jewish hip hop group signed to Def Jam records, where they played a significant, early role breaking down racial barriers in 1980s music between rock (white audience) and hip hop (black and Latino audience), which in turn led to a greater cultural understanding and historic reduction in the racial divide between the groups according to the book and 2013 VH1 miniseries “The Tanning of America.” Forthcoming the dedication of Beastie Boys Square, Rivington St. and Ludlow St., TBD.
Since 2013 it has been a long road to get to Beastie Boys Square, however, if the Beastie Boys have taught one thing it is “You Have To Fight For The Right To Party.” — LeRoy McCarthy
To-date, Heterodoxx Inc. has been successful with street names for Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor Way in Queens, Wu-Tang Clan District in Staten Island, and Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace Way in Brooklyn. Elsewhere, Sylvia Robinson Place in Englewood, NJ, and Avenue of The Roots in Philly. Among other successes Heterodoxx Inc. has worked with Senator Chuck Schumer on the resolution “August 11: Hip Hop Celebration Day and August: Hip Hop Recognition Month” which was passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate in 2021, and now pending in Congress under the leadership of Congressman Jamaal Bowman.
About LeRoy McCarthy
LeRoy McCarthy is the founder and president of the Brooklyn-based Entertainment Company Heterodoxx Inc. for which he has written, directed, and produced short films, also an award?winning documentary. His first film job was as an intern on Spike Lee’s “He Got Game” in 1997. McCarthy has produced community art projects, and the production of large and small events through Heterodoxx as a Cultural Advocate. Most recently was a co-organizer of the Community Block Party for Biggie Smalls 50th Birthday on May 21, 2022.
He is a native of Kingston,Jamaica; his family immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, when he was a child. After graduating from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, concentration in Management, McCarthy worked in the music industry in New York City and Atlanta, GA. His duties included marketing and promotions representation for Bad Boy/Arista Records, among other record labels. He was also the assistant to the curator during the development and operations of the House of Blues restaurant/concert venues in Atlanta, GA, and in Chicago, IL. Since 2013 McCarthy has independently campaigned towards honoring the Art & Culture of Hip Hop by lobbying the NYC government, and elsewhere, to give official governmental recognition to Hip Hop. Heterodoxx, meaning differing from an acknowledged standard, with an extra X added for the unknown factor, is not only the name of LeRoy’s entertainment company, Heterodoxx signifies the type of projects that LeRoy is creating, entertainment that is different, original, and unique. HETERODOXX, INC.
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