Static Major, Grammy award winning performer from Louisville, gets Hometown Hero banner downtown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Static Major, singer, songwriter and producer, who's best known for his appearance on Lil Wayne's 2008 single "Lollipop," will be honored with a Hometown Hero banner in Louisville.

The banner was hung Monday on the east side of the Roots 101 African American Heritage Museum at 1st and Witherspoon streets in downtown Louisville, near Humana's Waterside building.

"We're looking at not only a piece of Louisville history but a piece of Black history," Mark Gunn, a friend of Major's and a radio announcer, said Monday.

Born Stephen Ellis Garrett Jr., Static Major was a member of the R&B trio Playa in the early 1990s and went on to write songs for several artists, including Ginuwine, Pretty Ricky and Destiny's Child, GLPF said in a news release earlier this year.

Since Garrett's passing in 2008, Drake, Bryson Tiller and Jack Harlow have have sampled his music in their songs.

"Static Major was one of Louisville's best and worst kept secrets," Gunn said. "Hopefully, with Steve getting honored, those stories will start to be told."

The banners, a program organized by the Greater Louisville Pride Foundation, honor city natives who have gone on to national and international notoriety. Earlier this month, two-time PGA Champion Justin Thomas took part in a ceremony to unveil his banner on the Watterson City Park Towers on Bishop Lane. This year's class of banners also includes John Y. Brown, Rajon Rondo and Howard Schnelenberger.

Lamont Collins, CEO and founder of the Roots 101 African American Heritage Museum, said they also house several of Major's career artifacts, including his Grammy Award.

"The community comes back and they honor who you are," Collins said Monday. I" think he's not just a great musician but he's a great young man."

An official city unveiling ceremony will be held for Major's banner at 1 p.m. Friday.

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