What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey X Dilla”?

Artist Statement

OBEY X DILLA – OBEY GIANT J Dilla was a great music producer who died of lupus. Now his mom has lupus and needs help with her medical bills. This collaborative poster with B+ will benefit Dilla’s mom “Ma Dukes”. There is a benefit concert as well. Info below. Please support “Ma Dukes”. -Shepard Edition of 400, 18 x 24, Signed by B+ and Shepard, $55

Summary

Obey X Dilla is a 2009 collaborative screen print made with photographer B+ to benefit J Dilla's mother, who has lupus, with proceeds going toward her medical bills. Published by Obey Giant in an edition of 400, the print measures 18 x 24 inches and was signed by both B+ and Shepard Fairey. Released February 20, 2009 at a retail price of $55, the work pairs Fairey's OBEY visual language with a tribute to the late hip-hop producer J Dilla, who died of lupus. It functions both as a music-world homage and a charitable benefit poster.

Why It Matters

This print sits at the intersection of Fairey's music fandom, his collaborative practice, and his long pattern of using prints to raise money for causes. The work honors J Dilla, a revered hip-hop producer, while directly benefiting his mother, known to fans as Ma Dukes, with proceeds aimed at her lupus-related medical bills. Made in partnership with photographer B+, it reflects how Fairey routinely lends his OBEY platform and distribution to collaborators inside music culture rather than working in isolation. For collectors, the appeal lies in the Dilla connection: J Dilla's legacy commands deep loyalty across hip-hop, making this more than a typical OBEY release. The benefit framing, dual signatures from B+ and Shepard, and a modest edition of 400 give it documentary value as evidence of Fairey's activism-through-art model. It is a clear example of how he converts admiration for an artist into tangible support, and how the OBEY brand operates as a fundraising engine. The source does not state sell-out status or current value, so its standing rests on the named collaboration and cause rather than on any claimed scarcity.

Collector Perspective

This print appeals most to hip-hop and J Dilla collectors, music-poster enthusiasts, and Fairey collectors who prioritize collaboration pieces over straight OBEY graphics. The Dilla tribute and the Ma Dukes benefit story give it crossover interest beyond the usual street-art audience, drawing in fans who may not collect Fairey broadly but revere Dilla's catalog. The dual signature from B+ and Shepard adds collaborative provenance that display-minded buyers value. At 18 x 24 inches it frames easily for a music room, studio, or gallery wall, and pairs naturally with other Fairey music collaborations. Within a collection it works as a thematic anchor for the music-and-charity side of Fairey's output. Buyers should treat it as a meaningful, cause-driven collaboration rather than a marquee political image.

Historical Context

Released in early 2009, Obey X Dilla belongs to a productive period when Fairey was issuing frequent collaborative and benefit prints alongside his higher-profile political work of that year. It reflects his ongoing engagement with music culture, especially hip-hop, and his established habit of using the OBEY platform to raise money for individuals and causes, here channeling proceeds toward J Dilla's mother's medical bills through a partnership with photographer B+ and a related benefit concert. The piece fits the collaborative, music-facing strand of Fairey's catalog rather than his propaganda or fine-art series. It demonstrates how, by 2009, Fairey could mobilize his audience and distribution to support figures from the music world, turning admiration for a respected producer into direct material aid while keeping the recognizable OBEY identity in the foreground.

FAQ

Related Works

Bad Brains Collaboration Print2009 · Same 2009 period music collaboration honoring a band Fairey admires.

Obey X Cope2 Takeover2013 · Another named OBEY collaboration with an outside artist.

Giant vs Giant 22005 · Earlier collaborative OBEY print sharing the collaboration theme.

Inauguration Print (Signed)2009 · Companion 2009 signed release from the same prolific year.

Guerilla One x The Seventh Letter Collaboration Print2009 · Same-month 2009 multi-party collaboration print.