Houston's iconic 'Be Someone' vandalized on I-45
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's been a common target in Houston's landscape, but this time the 'Be Someone' graffiti has simply been blacked out.
The graffiti has served as an icon for years in the Bayou City as people drive on I-45. But on Tuesday, commuters and residents found the railroad trestle letters have been crudely blacked over.
At this point, there's no word if the artwork will be restored yet again.
Arguably Houston's most photographed landmark, the graffiti has been changed to honor Mattress Mack in the past, and has been periodically vandalized over the years.
Rapper Paul Wall liked the art so much that he got it tattooed on his chest for his birthday.
"I get inspired every time I drive thru downtown and see it sprayed on the bridge," Wall wrote on an Instagram post in 2017.
One Houston man even fought to get city hall to protect the graffiti by creating a petition on Change.org. The petition reached over 13,000 signatures.
Even though the art is so popular, the original artist can't take credit for it.
"You're worried about people seeing you," he told ABC13. "You don't want to get in trouble or anything like that. You definitely just have to watch out."
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