Mural Honoring Unk P: A Hero in Full Color on Ridge Avenue

Project Overview

The Unk P mural honors the life and legacy of Paul “Unk P” Gripper—a beloved father, basketball coach, car salesman, friend, and community advocate in North Philadelphia. The mural now lives vibrantly on the wall of Kirby Mac & Pete’s Rocks Professional Barbershop at 2600 Ridge Avenue, where Paul frequently got his hair cut and shared his warmth and wisdom with the neighborhood.

The artwork was designed by Nile Livingston, Founder & CEO of Creative Repute, in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia. With over 1,000 petition signatures from community members supporting the effort, this mural was a true neighborhood-driven vision made reality.

Listening First: Designing with Heart

The process began with deep listening. Nile spoke with Paul’s children, Ashley Gripper and Joey Gripper, as well as Paul’s sister, Naima Gripper, and other close family members to understand their stories, values, and memories. Through these conversations, the creative vision took shape—something bold, rooted in African American culture, filled with local North Philly style, and inspired by comic book storytelling, which Paul loved.

Symbolism in the Details

Paul often jokingly called himself “Thanos,” so a comic-inspired theme made perfect sense. Nile brought this vision to life with layered symbolism:

A split face inside a basketball shows Paul’s duality and life-defining choices.
In his hands, he holds his three children and a trophy, his proudest achievements.
A Byzantine-style halo features the portrait of Dawn, Paul’s late ex-wife and lifelong supporter.
Balloon letters spelling “UNK P” float above—a nod to Instagram photos from Paul’s memorial service.
A July 31 “issue date” sits in the top corner, as it would on a classic comic book cover.
The central quote, pulled from Paul’s own social media, reads:
“If the kids call you Unk or OG, it’s your job to keep them from making bad decisions.”

Nile also pulled inspiration from textiles of the African diaspora to infuse the mural with visual texture and warmth—representing the colorful and nurturing role Paul played in the community.

Design Review & Family Input

Once the digital design was complete, Nile presented it during a peer design review with fellow artists and curators to gather unfiltered interpretations. This process helped ensure the public would feel the message clearly without needing explanation. Final feedback from Paul’s family brought the mural one step closer to honoring his legacy with care and accuracy.

Bringing It to Life

The mural was produced using the parachute cloth method, which allowed for high precision in the studio and efficient installation on-site.

Production was led by Keisha Whatley, with on-the-ground assistance from Sydney Carter, Tom Walsh, and interns Jordan and Kenzie.

The process included:

Tracing outlines and textures of the mural onto 5’ x 5’ panels
Pre-mixing paint colors based on the design for a consistent palette
Hosting a Community Paint Day, coordinated by Project Manager Donnell Powell, where neighbors helped paint color blocks using a paint-by-number system
Laying out panels side-by-side in the studio to ensure cohesion
Blocking off nearby wiring and using a lift to access the wall
Preparing the site with support from Mural Arts Philadelphia
Applying Nova Gel adhesive to both cloth and wall for an air-pocket-free finish
Sealing the mural to protect it from weather and wear
Celebrating at the mural unveiling, where community members, artists, and family came together to honor Paul’s legacy

To deepen community ownership, the mural’s base features a silhouette crowd, where people were invited to sign their names—a tribute within a tribute.

Photography by Arekusn Nguyen beautifully documents the mural and its joyful unveiling.

Other Ways to Produce a Mural

There are multiple mural production methods depending on your space, timeline, and goals:

Direct-to-Wall Painting – best for textured or permanent surfaces
Projection & Tracing – fast outline transfer for detailed designs
Grid Transfer – useful for scaling large images accurately
Ghost Printing – lightly printed guides for precision painting
Vinyl Installation – ideal for indoor or short-term use

Ready to Commission a Mural?

Creative Repute designs public artworks that spark dialogue, uplift culture, and build community legacy. If you’re interested in honoring someone important or transforming a space with meaningful design, we’d love to collaborate.

📧 Contact us: sales@creativerepute.com

Let’s make something unforgettable—together.

We didn’t just want to do the mural — we had to. My brother Unk P looked out for so many kids, not just in basketball but in life. His basketball family already knew what kind of man he was — now the whole community does too. This mural is more than paint on a wall — it’s a symbol of the legacy he left behind.

Nile took the time to truly understand who Unk P was. They asked thoughtful questions, explored photos and videos on social media, and made a real effort to connect with the family’s memories. Through a community workshop held in collaboration with Mural Arts, they also brought the wider neighborhood into the creative process.

It was a wonderful journey and a great experience working with Nile and Creative Repute. Their professionalism, combined with a down-to-earth approach, made the entire process feel grounded, collaborative, and meaningful.