Side by side pictures of the site where the late Rico Wade's future monument will be in East Point. (DorMiya Vance/WABE)
Updated on Nov. 8 at 1:24 p.m.
Near the intersection of Headland and Delowe Drives in East Point, a white enclosed tent stands on the former site of Delowe Garden Apartments.
Here Rico Wade laid the foundation of his transformative success in hip-hop. Wade later created the “The Dungeon,” a recording studio in the basement of his mom’s home in Lakewood Terrance.
“The Dungeon” still stands today while the former Delowe Gardens remains an open, grassy lot.
Family and friends of Wade gathered at the former site Thursday for a ceremony and unveiling of the future site where a monument in honor of the late producer will be displayed.
Wade was one-third of the well-known production group Organized Noize alongside Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown.
Brown remembers the days of The Dungeon vividly.
“Delowe Gardens, Mama Wade, Kesha and Kenitta. Rico and the crew. When I tell you there was so much love in that apartment, it’s ridiculous,” Brown said. “I know I had to get initiated.”
Mayors Deana Holiday Ingraham of East Point and Andre Dickens of Atlanta attended the ceremony to honor Wade. They were joined by several members of the Dungeon Family music collective including Big Boi of OutKast and CeeLo Green of Goodie Mob.
“To have him be omnipresent and overseeing the city forevermore is truly the measure of success. (This is) exactly what he deserves. I’m just grateful because he saved my life,” Green said.
Members of the Dungeon Family gather for a group photo in front the Rico Wade backdrop. (DorMiya Vance/WABE)
As the ceremony progressed and the sun went down, the group walked across the street to Headland Plaza to unveil the future site of the monument celebrating Wade.
“Just as Rico Wade was a cornerstone for Organized Noise and Dungeon Family, he’ll be a cornerstone in this corner for generations to come,” said Mayor Holiday Ingraham before counting down the reveal.
The crowd cheered and began to chat “Rico Wade” once the site was revealed.
East Point officials say the permanent monument will be installed in February. It will be a stone, slant marker with a photo of the late producer and a message about his impact on hip-hop.
The sons of Wade, Rico “Deuce” Wade II and Ryder Wade, expressed gratitude to the city of East Point for paying homage to their dad.
“All the people that have passed recently and all that’s been going, a lot of people haven’t got as much respect as he’s been given. This means a big deal to me,” Wade II said.
“We’re extremely thankful, very grateful. It’s very much appreciated, very very much,” Ryder Wade added.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated to include additional information in the second and third paragraph.
