SZA is celebrating a major hometown honor after officially being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
The Grammy-winning singer joined the Hall of Fame on September 24 during a ceremony at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey. She was recognized in the Performing Arts & Entertainment category, with actor and fellow inductee Danny DeVito hosting the event.
Although SZA was born in St. Louis, she grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, making the recognition especially meaningful.
SZA Celebrates Her New Jersey Hall Of Fame Induction
During her acceptance speech, SZA made it clear that her connection to the Garden State runs deep.
“I just want to say, I love Jersey, every corner of Jersey,” she told the crowd before giving Essex County a special shoutout.
The singer, whose full name is Solána Imani Rowe, attended school in Maplewood and graduated from Columbia High School before eventually building her music career.
SZA described the induction as “one of the biggest honors I’ve ever had,” reflecting on how much New Jersey contributed to the person and artist she eventually became.
SZA Reflects On Life In New Jersey Before Fame
SZA used the moment to revisit several places and experiences from her younger years.
She recalled attending Maplewood Middle School and working local jobs before music became her career, including positions at Village Trattoria in Maplewood and a sneaker store in Irvington.
The singer also reflected on growing up around New Jersey’s mix of cultures and communities, including memories connected to Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood.
For SZA, those experiences helped shape her perspective long before millions of listeners knew her music.
She also joked about New Jersey sometimes being overlooked in favor of neighboring New York, saying people often “skip” over the state.
SZA’s Parents Join Her For The Special Moment
The celebration also became a family affair as SZA’s parents, Audrey and Abdul Mubarak-Rowe, joined her for the milestone.
Her mother reflected on watching SZA grow up and believing that her daughter would eventually accomplish something significant, even before knowing exactly what direction her life would take.
Her father spoke about listening to SZA’s acclaimed album Ctrl and discovering another side of his daughter through the honesty of her songwriting.
Their reflections added a personal touch to an honor centered on SZA’s journey from growing up in New Jersey to becoming an internationally recognized artist.
SZA Adds Another Major Honor To Her Career
The New Jersey Hall of Fame induction arrives after years of major achievements for SZA.
Her 2017 debut studio album, Ctrl, established her as one of the defining voices of contemporary R&B and became the foundation for a career filled with commercial and critical success.
According to the New Jersey Hall of Fame, SZA has earned seven Grammy Awards and accumulated more than 70 billion streams across platforms.
Now, the singer can add New Jersey Hall of Famer to that growing list of accomplishments.