East Orange Will Honor Naughty By Nature, City’s ‘Native Sons’

EAST ORANGE, NJ — The City of East Orange is planning to give a salute to three of its “native sons” this week: the Grammy Award-winning trio behind Naughty By Nature.

City officials will hold a public event on Friday, Sept. 20 to dedicate a new basketball court at Oval Park in the names of Vincent “Vin Rock” Brown, Anthony “Treach” Criss, and Keir “Kay Gee” Gist.

The ceremony will take place at noon at the park, which is located at 120 Eaton Place in East Orange. The public is welcome to attend.

According to a news release from the city:

“All graduates of East Orange High School, Vinnie, Treach and Kay Gee grew up in the Teen Streets area near the park, colloquially known as ‘Down the Hill.’ Oval Park, once home to Negro League Baseball, recently completed Phase I of long overdue renovations, which included the rebuilding the basketball courts on which the men once played, a place that holds many fond memories for them. The bright orange and green-colored court, which will bear the iconic Naughty by Nature logo, was conceptualized from the group’s 30th Anniversary Tribute Album, 19NAUGHTYIII, which was remastered featuring the catchy anthem, ‘Hip Hop Hooray.’”

“This court is symbol of strength, perseverance, determination and vision,” Mayor Ted Green said.

“Naughty By Nature has left an indelible mark in the history of music, and their achievements over the years have solidified their spot as one of the most influential groups in hip hop history,” Green added. “This recognition preserves a piece of their legacy and lets our young people know that their dreams, too, are possible.”

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