Michael Jackson -- on the wall

Michael Jackson stands in his signature pose: hips popped to the right, left arm raised in the air. His gloved right hand sits on his hip and out of his mouth he exclaims, "Hee-hee!" It's the King of Pop as immortalized in the parking lot of Mid-West Wholesale Lighting on Hollywood Boulevard by L.A.-based artists "Jersey Joe" / "RIME" and "Augor."

The pair incorporated Jackson's image into a rough graffiti sketch by New Zealand-based artist "Askew," and the portrait, although cartoonish in appearance and featuring a medley of Jackson's trademark looks -- styled hair, red leather jacket, sequined glove and tight pants -- realistically captures the legacy of the famous (at times, infamous) pop star.

"It was all very sudden," said 30-year-old "Jersey Joe" / "RIME." "We were working on this sketch as part of The Exchange," a project through which top-notch graffiti artists swap work, "and a friend of mine called and told me Michael had died. Ten minutes later, we were adding his image to the piece." The mural is just one of a number of tributes from street artists that are popping up on walls across the United States and afar in the wake of Jackson's death June 25.

In Tulsa, Okla., an artist named "Big N" painted a likeness of the young Jackson on the side of a building near 11th and Mingo, adding the message "Rest in Peace, King of Pop" next to the image. In Tokyo, a side-view caricature of Jackson pays homage to the late singer.

He can even be found on the side of the Kokua Market building in Moiliili, Hawaii; there, 808 Urban's design showcases Jackson with an open shirt flowing away from his body, his hat slightly cocked to cover his face as a spotlight shines on him.

"For us, as artists, our contribution to his legacy is visual," said "Prime," founder of 808 Urban, a group of artists working in low-income neighborhoods. "Michael made a huge impact on the world. People have turned the mural into a vigil. They go there to pay tribute, to see an image, since we don't have him here. It adds comfort to the community to see him."

Closer to home, on Melrose Avenue, near Heliotrope Drive, local artist "RABBI" of dtladesigns painted a realistic portrait of Jackson from his "Thriller" days -- sporting a red leather jacket, brunet curls cascading over his forehead -- with the words "Rest in Peace."