Baltimore artist pays tribute to hip-hop with 3,000-foot mural
BALTIMORE -- As WJZ continues to celebrate Black History Month, we celebrate a local artist who just painted a mural that pays tribute to hip-hop.
Last summer, the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
That celebration continues right here in Charm City in the form of a 3,000-foot mural that pays tribute to the iconic genre of music and its impact on black culture.
The mural is in West Baltimore on the side of Shake & Bake Family Fun Center on Pennsylvania Avenue.
"I thought it would be a great location to mix in some of that history of Baltimore's hip hop scene," LaToya Peoples said.
The artist behind this masterpiece is LaToya Peoples.
She named it "The Elements: An Ode to Hip Hop" because when you look at it, it's really 11 murals in one.
"(It) honor(s) those original elements: DJing, turntablism, graffiti, breakdancing, the fashion, the culture," Peoples said.
This mural is one of the largest Peoples has done. It took her about three and a half weeks to finish.
Peoples love for art began when she was a child growing up in Philadelphia.
Her passion brought her here to Baltimore 14 years ago to study at MICA.
She's taught art to students at city schools and now she paints a lot of public art.
She's got dozens of pieces throughout Baltimore and in other cities, including, Denver, Philly and West Hollywood, California.
Most of her art celebrates black culture, specifically black women -- a nod to her upbringing and her mother and grandmother.
'I primarily paint Black people, people of color," Peoples said. "We are sort of missing in the cannon of art."
Whether it's the art in her studio or her art in the community, People says sharing her work with the public and seeing others enjoy it inspires her.
"It's beautiful," Peoples said. "I'm blessed. I feel grateful every day that I have been able to do this work. It's important."