EAST POINT, Ga. — Atlanta music icon Rico Wade is set to be honored with a monument in East Point to celebrate his monumental impact on music, culture, and the community.
Wade, who died on April 13, was one of the leaders of the Dungeon Family and a member of the iconic group Organized Noize.
Wade is credited with helping to launch the careers of Outkast, Goodie Mob, the Dungeon Family, Future, and more.
Wade is known for his prominence in the southern hip-hop music industry, in which he is considered to be an architect of the genre.
His death shook many of the lives he impacted around the world.
“Rico Wade was Atlanta through and through! He was the master conductor of the southern hip-hop movement, and we owe a great deal of gratitude to him, and Ray Murray and Pat (Sleepy Brown) of Organized Noize, for ushering in a new sound for the South Coast,” said Shanti Das, a prominent former LaFace Records executive. “Rico was a creative genius not just in music, but in fashion, marketing and culture.”
The unveiling of the monument is an invitation only event, according to an Instagram post by Sleepy Brown.
The Dungeon Family got its name from “the Dungeon,” Rico Wade’s studio, which was located in the basement of his mom’s East Point home.
“Rico left an indelible mark on music and culture around the world and for that, the South will always have something to say,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens previously said.
“The statue that will be erected in East Point is a testament to his rich legacy, invaluable musical contributions and the incredible human being he was! Rico was a ray of sunshine and to know him was to love him! Salute my friend,” Das concluded.
The ceremony to unveil the monument will be held on Nov. 7.