Beautifying the BX: Graffiti artist KingBee debuts new mural in Mount Hope

You can't go too far in the Bronx without spotting some graffiti.

News 12 Staff

May 15, 2019, 12:03 PM

Updated 2,018 days ago

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You can't go too far in the Bronx without spotting some graffiti.
Despite graffiti not always being welcome, one artist in Mount Hope is doing his part to beautify the borough.
Graffiti artist KingBee’s work is easy to spot across the Bronx.

So when those living and working near 17-50 Grand Concourse saw a location in need of a face lift, they knew who to call.
"It was a whole totally different ballgame in here, you know, all the dumpsters, the wall was defaced, but we turned it around," says graffiti artist KingBee.
In just two weeks, KingBee turned the mural into a massive oasis mural full of trees, flowers and even a waterfall. It is all just a few steps away from the busy expressway.
"I like to put a smile on people's faces, you know, people like to see something different, something natural that they see every day. It beautifies the community too," says King Bee.
Community activist Sidney Flores saw the need for the mural, along with nurses from BronxCare Health System. They knocked on doors to raise money to make it a reality. They say it was well worth the effort.
"A lot of people stop, and they look, and they move their heads like, and they smile, they like it," says Flores.
KingBee’s quest to beautify the Bronx is not done. He's currently working on another mural on Burnside Avenue, close to where he grew up.
"I am from the Bronx, like this is my neighborhood, so see the change from what it was to what it is now to where it’s going and where it could possibly be, it’s a positive notion you know," says KingBee.