Mayor Michelle Wu today announced a series of events honoring New Edition, the legendary Boston-based R&B group founded in Roxbury in 1978, on Saturday, August 30. In recognition of the group's profound impact in Boston and the music industry, Mayor Wu and the City of Boston will host various events to celebrate the group's contributions and legacy, including a street naming ceremony and a community block party in Roxbury. In addition to these events, Mayor Wu will also declare August 30 as "New Edition Day" in the City of Boston. These events will honor the critical contributions of New Edition and create opportunities for residents and families to build community across Boston neighborhoods.

"It is an honor to welcome home Roxbury natives New Edition to celebrate their global impact, from our communities here in Boston to the music industry worldwide," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Thank you to all of our City teams for their work in putting on this vibrant series of events that will bring community members together in recognition of our local, homegrown group. This is a unique opportunity to bring Boston's neighborhoods together in a celebration of culture, pride and community and I encourage every community member to join us to celebrate New Edition's tremendous impact."

Founded in Roxbury, Massachusetts, "Orchard Park Projects" in 1978, New Edition has had a profound impact on both the Boston community and the music industry as a whole, paving the way for pop and R&B stars worldwide. For 40 plus years Members Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill have garnered immeasurable success touring the world both individually and as a collective group. In 2017 this Multi-Platinum selling supergroup was honored with a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star unveiling ceremony coincided with the premiere of NE's three-part miniseries "The New Edition Story" which aired on BET setting a network record with more than 29 million unique viewers. In 2022, New Edition was inducted into the Black Music Hall of Fame and in 2023 the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. Throughout New Edition's countless achievements, their most "coveted" accomplishment has been, and continues to be, the love and support they receive from their loyal and dedicated fans. Affectionately known as #NE4LIFERS, Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Michael, Ralph and Johnny are equally as dedicated to them, for without them New Edition would not and could not exist.

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"I am truly grateful for the privilege of being made a permanent fixture in our city that has played such a significant role in shaping our lives and career," said Ricky Bell. "It brings me immense joy to think that future generations of my family, friends, and #NE4Lifers from all over the world will be able to walk and drive down New Edition Way. This honor is mind-blowing in the most awesome way. 02119 IS and WILL always be my home."

"Boston is where it all began for us.This honor means the world to me," said Bobby Brown.

"I'll never forget when I was a junior at Brown University and in January of 1983 Maurice Starr came bounding into the WBRU-Providence (my college radio station) studio on a Sunday when we had our (ridiculously high-rated) Black programming on the normally Alt Rock station. He'd brought us some local Boston records before but he had an EXTRA amount of energy that day. While I was playing another song on the air, he made me listen to this new song in "cue," said Stephen Hill, Former Radio DJ, BET and MTV Executive. "It's so funny; I remember his smile as those first 6 now familiar clap-sounding drum machine beats came out of the speakers, the last beat igniting that mini-glissando into awesomeness. And there it was, the classic Jonzun Crew computer-talk into the most Michael Jacksonest voice I'd heard since 1971 starting what might have been the very first R&B song to start with a rap. It was both innovative and familiar, reflective of burgeoning, nascent hip-hop while true to the structure of traditional R&B. As a tried and true J5 fan, I loved it immediately and I assured him that I left that record on the turntable, switched it from cue to on-air, and proudly became one of the first in the country to play the seminal hit "Candy Girl."

New Edition Day Events

New Edition Street Naming Ceremony

Saturday, August 30, 10:00 a.m.

Location: Corner of Ambrose & Albany Streets, Roxbury, 02119

New Edition Day: Community Block Party

Saturday, August 30, 11:00 a.m.

Location: Orchard Gardens Boys & Girls Club, 2 Dearborn St, Roxbury, MA 02119

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"When my family and I made Roxbury our home in 1982, I was introduced to the music of New Edition.  Whenever I hear the hit song 'Candy Girl,' it still evokes happy childhood memories. New Edition has provided this city with decades of fond memories, and immense pride," said Dion Irish, Chief of Operations. "New Edition are reminders of the greatness that the youth of Boston are capable of. I am extremely proud and excited to see them celebrated in this way, and very thankful to Mayor Wu for her leadership in this effort."

"The City of Boston welcomes New Edition back home to honor their legacy and dedication to the community," said Brianna Millor, Chief of Community Engagement. "The world knows New Edition as international superstars, but for Boston natives, we consider them family. It is our greatest privilege to celebrate our hometown legends."

On Saturday, August 30, the City of Boston will host a street naming ceremony and community block party. At the ceremony, Mayor Wu will designate Dearborn Street as New Edition Way and declare August 30 as "New Edition Day" in the City of Boston. The street naming ceremony will take place at the corner of Ambrose Street and Albany Street in Roxbury, honoring the group at Orchard Gardens, formerly known as Orchard Park, where the founding members of New Edition grew up. Immediately after the street renaming ceremony, the City will host a community block party in front of the Orchard Gardens Boys & Girls Club, featuring music, a backpack giveaway for youth, free food, fun activities and a special appearance by New Edition.

"It is such an honor to be able to celebrate one of the most iconic groups to ever come out of the city of Boston," said John Borders IV, Director of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment for the City of Boston. "We are truly excited to bring the community together to recognize the impact New Edition has had both locally and worldwide. We hope this sets the precedent for how we honor our own moving forward."

"As someone from Roxbury, it's an honor to celebrate New Edition's accomplishments and legacy right where it all started," said Frank Farrow, Executive Director, Office of Black Male Advancement. "New Edition is the greatest music group of all time. The legendary group's cultural influence is still felt today in the Boston community and throughout the entertainment industry worldwide."

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