West Philadelphia, where Will Smith was born and raised, now boasts a street named in his honour. Will Smith Way.

The city’s mayor, Cherelle Parker, alongside other leaders, celebrated the Oscar-winning actor and Grammy-winning musician by renaming a section of 59th Street near his old high school.

At the ceremony, Smith expressed deep gratitude for his hometown, declaring,

“Philly, I love you. I am yours. You are mine.”

He reflected on his upbringing, crediting his parents for instilling in him the values of hard work and education.

“Nobody gets an easy ride,” he said.

“That was one of the things these streets of Philadelphia taught me: that there’s nothing wrong with a hard day’s work.”

From ‘Prince Charming’ to ‘The Fresh Prince’

Among the crowd was a former teacher who once called him

“Prince Charming”—a nickname that later inspired his famous persona,

“The Fresh Prince.” Smith recalled how the name was born at Overbrook High School, saying,

“The name ‘The Fresh Prince’ was coined in that building. I added ‘fresh’ because it was hip-hop slang.”

He has won multiple Grammys for hits like “Summertime,” “Men In Black,” and “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.”

Now, after two decades away from music, he is set to release his highly anticipated fifth studio album, “Based on a True Story,” this Friday.

As Philadelphia cements his legacy with a street named in his honour,

Will Smith is the epitome of chasing one’s dreams.