Spread Love And The Notorious B.I.G. Lyrics Throughout The Neighborhood With Open Source Gallery

Open Source Gallery (306 17th Street near 6th Avenue) has been on a tear this year with engaging projects during a season dedicated to collaborative artists. “Throughout 2016, we will be exclusively exhibiting art collectives and artist-run organizations from around the world,” Development Director Shauna Sorensen told us earlier this year.

And now the gallery is hoping you’ll work with them on an ambitious project that’s going to turn select walls in the neighborhood into murals of lyrics by Brooklyn rapper The Notorious B.I.G.

Between June 17-22, Open Source Gallery is hosting Spanish art collective Boa Mistura, who will be creating murals throughout the South Slope neighborhood.

“This is a partnership with Department of Transportation fund,” explains Sorensen. “It’s an exciting opportunity because we’ve been so interested in Boa Mistura’s work.”

The project is called Spread Love, It’s The Brooklyn Way, a creation of three murals. And volunteering is open to all ages.

This project is part of Boa Mistura’s “Crossroads Series” with the goal of improving public spaces as well as inspiring communities all over the world. Previous to South Slope, Crossroads projects have taken place in Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Algeria, Georgia, Brazil, South Africa, and Colombia.

The first mural will be located on the wall of Associated Supermarket at 5th Avenue and 17th Street. The lyric “Spread Love, it’s the Brooklyn way” from The Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Juicy” will serve as the mural’s text.

The other two murals will be created under the Prospect Park Expressway on both walls at Prospect Avenue and 3rd Avenue.”Everything you get you gotta work hard for it” — a lyric from his song “The What” — will be painted on one wall. A quote by the artist — “We can’t change the world unless we change ourselves” will be created on the other.

The Notorious B.I.G. was born Christopher Wallace in Brooklyn in 1972, and was considered one of the quintessential East Coast rappers of his time. In 1994, he was killed in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams recently declared May 21 “Christopher ‘The Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace Day.” In addition, the Hip Hop Hall Of Fame and Museum (HOF) has started a crowd-funding effort to honor the Notorious B.I.G. by finishing the six foot sculpture, which the HOF hopes will be placed in Putnam Triangle Plaza.

To view more of Boa Mistura’s work throughout the world, visit their website here. South Slope will join a global oeuvre of extremely exciting work. So make sure you’re part of it!

All you need to do is sign up for the project to reserve your space. Volunteering takes place in 4-hour blocks between June 17-22.

Additional reporting by Justin Fox.