Manhattan street renamed 'Beastie Boys Square' after 9-year fan campaign

Beastie Boys Square is the new name for the street in front of Paul's Boutique in Manhattan. Paul's Boutique was featured on the cover of the Beastie Boys' 1989 album of the same name with a photo taken by the band's original bassist, Jeremy Shatan.

Fans of the hip-hop group have been fighting for the rename since 2014, two years after the group disbanded in the wake of Adam "MCA" Yauch's passing. The New York City council finally approved the motion last week.

Christopher Marte, a NYC council member, acknowledged "as many of us know, once the Beastie Boys hit the scene, it really changed the hip hop game. I see it as a celebration. A celebration for the Lower East Side, a celebration for hip-hop, and especially a celebration for our community who has been organising for a really long time to make this happen.”

The New York music group formed in 1981 as a hardcore punk group before transitioning to hip-hop. The Beastie Boys achieved wild success with their music and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the year they broke up.

The former Beastie Boys Records rep, LeRoy McCarthy talked about 'Beastie Boys Square' saying “it has been a long road to get Beastie Boys Square accomplished, but I am happy to see New York government formally embracing the indigenous arts and culture of hip hop. The street sign is very appropriate because hip hop is from the NYC streets.”

In the past, McCarthy has helped to commemorate Biggie Smalls and Wu-Tang Clan with signage throughout New York City.