KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kartel Stylez, a local tattoo artist and celebrity designer, is deciding to show some love to a once graffiti-filled building by painting a mural honoring the Chiefs.
Stylez says it's the first time he took his talents to the streets with spray paint as he painted the mural in the Crossroads District.
“It took me about two days straight,” Stylez said. "I think I bought six cans of red, six cans of yellow and 12 cans of Black."
Stockman Law Firm helped donate and sponsor the materials needed to paint the mural, which will highlight city love and pride for the Chiefs.
“I was just really encouraged to do that because you know, the Super Bowl is coming up and Patrick Mahomes is doing well for us," Stylez said. "So I want to make sure we represent the Chiefs really well."
The backside of one building is located at 2021 Washington Street in KCMO, which was once filled with graffiti.
It now has more than a fresh coat of paint, thanks to Stylez, who has his tattoo shop just a few doors down.
“Every time I walk up the back alleyway, there’s trash and brand new graffiti all over the walls,” Stylez said. “Usually when you put a mural or something super nice on the wall and kind of clean the area up, they don’t come through and trash the area as much anymore.”
Brandon Thornton, who is the manager of Todd’s Clothiers, agrees that the murals replacing some of the graffiti can make the area more state of the art.
“I think it’s really hard to see something that looks dead, and when you create on top of something that looks dead, it just breathes life back in," Thornton said. “It’s just a way to take something that doesn’t look like much and make it beautiful again.”
Stylez said with this Chiefs mural, he is hoping to create a new space and outline for Kanas City to appreciate.
“So I wanted to make something a little more clean that represents Kansas City and the Kansas City Chiefs, since they are doing so well,” he said.
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