Four-time NBA champ John Salley looks back on his brief stint with the Lakers and spending time with young Kobe Bryant.

“You’ll be missed, King and Princess...” It’s a line in a song by recording artist Yung Muusik in honor of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi. As fans grieve the loss of the late Laker great and all eight on board a chopper that crashed Sunday, artists are sharing their grief through the arts.

Yung Muusik, who is still building his music career, was attending the Grammys when he got the news of the crash. He is one voice in a series of Angelinos reflecting on this tragic loss.

STAY CONNECTED

Christine on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineDevineTVNewsAnchor

Christine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DevineNews

Olympic & Bundy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olympicandbundy

Olympic & Bundy Twitter: https://twitter.com/OlympicAndBundy

Olympic & Bundy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olympicandbundy

Quote:  "From the first day we received the horrible news of Kobe passing away, I have been receiving request for Kobe portraits," Juan Urieta - Sketch Artist
  
Juan Urieta is a sketch artist on the rise. His sketch of Kobe Bryant has been in demand from friends moved by the death of the NBA great. Juan is a die-hard sports fan, and an immigrant success story. He works in the auto sales industry but never abandoned his love of art. 

Working in the arts, Urieta once did airbrush work for Harley Davidson working on custom bikes. He is now living the dream of having his own studio space and art gallery, OOAK (one of a kind) gallery in the downtown Santa Ana artist district. Instagram: @Juan_Urieta_Lopez 

Quote: "I'd been trying to sing the national anthem for the Lakers for three years. In 2016 I got the call. Kobe Bryant had just announced he was retired from the Lakers. My whole body was elevated," - Ranella Ferrer. Ranella Ferrer was born and raised in the Philippines. She is a known National Anthem Singer at Los Angeles top venues, but the Lakers were her first. Ranella was a Kobe Bryant fan and had studied his words of inspiration. Despite being self-conscious about her weight, this singer seized the opportunity to open a 2016 game with the National Anthem. It was Kobe's retirement year. Ranella would go on to appear on Khloe Kardashian's "Revenge Body" reality show, and lives the Mamba Mentality. Ranella Ferrer, first Professional National Anthem-2016: https://youtu.be/gcK7TbvQMZs

With it being the one month anniversary this week of the passing of Kobe Bryant, a bishop shares his thoughts on moving forward after the memorial service. As part of my podcast series Voices of the People: Kobe Bryant Remembered we sit down with Bishop Craig A. Worsham of the Agape Church of Los Angeles in Baldwin Hills. He recalls being in mid-sermon when he got the news of the helicopter crash. It turned into a sermon of healing and togetherness. He answers the question, “Is there a God?”  He celebrates Kobe Bryant as a father and praises the strength of Vanessa at the celebration of life memorial at Staples Center.

Quote: "Let's pray for all that are left behind, most of all to deal with the pain.

Marcia Arreola is a woman who knows the pain of losing a child. Her 19-year-old son Jonathan was killed in a single-vehicle accident.  Marcia and her daughter Amanda share their story of living through grief and channeling that grief into helping others.

In her social meeting postings, she had Kobe Bryant's parents in mind, as well as Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, who also lost a child, Gianna. Marcia became a grief counselor and recently founded Jonathan's Giving Tree. By providing assistance to families during the grieving process she strives to provide hope, encouragement, and understanding to begin the healing process of losing a child.

It has taken her 15 years to get here. It took all this to see how the loss affected Jonathan's dad and his 2 younger sisters. She understood that the death of a child is a mental health issue that affects the whole family in a way that only those who have experienced the loss can understand.

This episode is in honor of the families of all nine onboard the helicopter that crashed: John, Keri, and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, and pilot Ara Zobayan.

"Basketball will never be the same" - Tammy Brawner
"The world has literally stopped in honor of you two" - Tear'a Laudermill.

Perhaps no one can appreciate the contributions by Kobe Bryant to girl's basketball than two women who play the sport. One, Tammy Brawner, is a former Harlem Globetrotter, the 10th female to play in the league. She's now a producer and actress and would love to win an Oscar-like Kobe. The other, Tear'a Laudermill(coach Tee),  traveled the world playing basketball and is now a high school coach in Riverside. She once taught an all-girls camp at Kobe's sports facility, Mamba Academy. A photo is in ESPN'S commemorative issue on Kobe. Both give Gianna Bryant major props and share their thoughts on Kobe's legacy as a player and dad.

"LA does not feel the same without him" -  Black Light King.

Graffiti artist Black Light King stepped out of his norm to honor Kobe Bryant in one of the many murals popping up all over the world. 

Black Light King is known for elaborate fluorescent art that covers the entire side of a building all done by spray paint can. He says the hip hop community and graffiti art community loves basketball. He wanted his mural "in the hood" and says Kobe was an inspiration for many Latinos. 

The Black Light King mural is near Vernon just outside of downtown Los Angeles at Washington and Staunton(near Long Beach Avenue). 

"Now we'll never let you go. You gave me wings to fly" - Tim Johnson Jr. from his song "Wings." 

Tim Johnson Jr. is a dynamic 20-year-old Philly native who came to Los Angeles to live out his dream as an entertainer. He has appeared on Television (CBS FBI, Futureman on Hulu, Ballers on HBO), in movies (Fist Fight), and in theater as Young Simba in Disney the Lion King.

In 2018 he was a semi-finalist on Fox's The Four Battle for Stardom(Diddy, DJ Khaled) singing reality show. He has put out several music projects since. Tim was studying the inspiration and words of Kobe Bryant around the time of the helicopter crash. The longtime singer realized he had the perfect song in his collection that had yet to be released.  His new song "Wings" is a tribute to Kobe and Gig Bryant and the families that passed away in the helicopter accident on January 26th, 2020. He says proceeds from sales and downloads are going to the Mamba Sports Foundation.

Tim has graciously allowed us to use this song throughout our podcast series. "WINGS" SONG/MUSIC VIDEO: https://youtu.be/gPKmVvIK56o

 

INSTAGRAM: @CityBoyJr

"WeBall - WeTrain - We study to get better" - Coach Will.

Kobe Bryant’s legacy and inspiration through the eyes of a Long Beach youth basketball team, AEF Pro Camp.
Coach Will says he was so torn when news hit of the death of Kobe Bryant that he walked out of work and just went home.

Coach Will didn’t know Kobe but does teach by the Mamba Mentality.