Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Chuck D 2007 (First Edition)”?
Artist Statement
Okay, Yesterday was pretty crazy. It was my birthday, and more significantly it was the day Chuck D came to sign his print at Studio Number One. Public Enemy is my favorite hip hop group of all time and Chuck D is not only the founder and core of the group, but one of the most important figures in music, politics, and culture since punk. I was into punk and hardcore all through middle school and high school, but by 88 I was feeling they had run their course. I liked the Beastie Boys (who had coincidentally originally been a hardcore band) and RUN DMC, but not until Public Enemy did I feel Hip Hop was the new Punk. I love Public Enemy’s first record: “Yo, Bum Rush The Show”, but it was only the warm up for the sonic and lyrical firestorm of “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back” and “Fear of a Black Planet”. These records are must haves. Don’t make weak excuses… get them if you don’t have them IMMEDIATELY. My design studio (Studio Number One) was named after the song Public Enemy Number One from which the group’s name was derived. Obviously, I endorse P.E. and Chuck to the fullest and am incredibly honored to have been able to do this collaboration. The image was originally created for the ICONS issue of Swindle Magazine and the illustration was a collaboration between myself and my very talented intern Ernesto Yerena. Chuck liked it and asked if a print could be made (officially this time as opposed to my unauthorized 2002 Chuck ‘n’ Flav prints). The Print is signed by Ernesto, me, and Chuck D. Chuck is getting a cut of the poster sale which is why the print is $50 instead of $35. The print edition is out of 400.
Summary
Chuck D 2007 is a Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 400 at 18 x 24 inches. It portrays Public Enemy founder Chuck D and was created in collaboration with Fairey's studio intern Ernesto Yerena, originally for the ICONS issue of Swindle Magazine. Per Fairey's account the print is signed by Ernesto, himself, and Chuck D, with Chuck receiving a cut of sales, which set the price at $50. An officially authorized hip-hop portrait, it reflects Fairey's deep admiration for Public Enemy.
Why It Matters
Chuck D 2007 is one of Fairey's most personally documented prints, accompanied by his own extended statement about Public Enemy's importance to him. He recounts naming his studio, Studio Number One, after Public Enemy's track that inspired the group's name, underscoring how central the band was to his cultural formation. The print marks an authorized collaboration with the subject himself, distinct from Fairey's earlier unauthorized 2002 Chuck 'n' Flav prints, and the involvement of Ernesto Yerena, who would become a significant collaborator, adds to its biographical weight. For collectors, the combination of a triple signature from Fairey, Yerena, and Chuck D, the Swindle Magazine ICONS origin, and the direct artist-subject endorsement gives it standing beyond a typical music portrait. It documents the crossover between street art, graphic design, and hip-hop activism that Fairey championed, framing Chuck D as a punk-equivalent cultural force. The edition of 400 is modest, and the storied provenance and collaboration make it a meaningful piece for collectors of both Fairey's music portraits and hip-hop history. Its narrative richness is precisely what distinguishes it within his catalog.
Collector Perspective
This print is a priority for collectors of Fairey's music portraits and for hip-hop fans who value Public Enemy and Chuck D. The authorized, artist-endorsed nature and the triple signature described in Fairey's account give it provenance appeal beyond decoration. It also draws collectors who follow Ernesto Yerena's early collaborations with Studio Number One. At an edition of 400 it is collectible without being extremely scarce, and its Swindle Magazine ICONS origin adds documentary interest. The 18 x 24 portrait frames well and anchors a music-themed Fairey grouping, fitting naturally alongside the Public Enemy print and other hip-hop and counterculture works in his catalog.
Historical Context
Released in February 2007 through Obey Giant, the print sits in Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era and reflects his long engagement with music as a political force. Fairey traces his path from middle-school punk and hardcore to embracing Public Enemy by 1988 as 'the new Punk,' and he named Studio Number One after the song that gave the group its name. The image first appeared in the ICONS issue of Swindle Magazine, illustrated with intern Ernesto Yerena, and was later authorized as a signed print, distinct from his unauthorized 2002 Chuck 'n' Flav work. It documents the maturing collaboration between Fairey and Yerena and the studio's bridging of street art with hip-hop culture.
FAQ
Who is the subject and how did the collaboration happen?
The print portrays Chuck D of Public Enemy. The image was created for the ICONS issue of Swindle Magazine as a collaboration between Fairey and his intern Ernesto Yerena. Chuck D liked it and asked that an official print be made, distinct from Fairey's unauthorized 2002 Chuck 'n' Flav prints.
Why is the print priced higher than other releases?
Per Fairey's account, Chuck D received a cut of the poster sales, which is why it was priced at $50 instead of the usual $35. It was released in 2007 by Obey Giant.
Is the print signed?
Fairey states the print is signed by Ernesto Yerena, himself, and Chuck D. This triple signature is documented in Fairey's release statement for the work.
What are the edition size and dimensions?
It is a first edition of 400, screen printed at 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2007.
Related Works
About the Artist
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is an American street artist, graphic designer, and activist, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His 1989 “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker grew into the global OBEY GIANT campaign — an ongoing experiment in propaganda, obedience, and visual culture. He reached worldwide recognition with the 2008 “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama, now held by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Across screen prints, stencils, murals, and collage, Fairey channels propaganda aesthetics toward themes of peace, justice, environmentalism, and civil rights. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and LACMA.