Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Legalize It”?
Artist Statement
October 19 would be Peter Tosh's 80th birthday were he still alive. Tosh is best known as the co-founder of the Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston, with whom he had several ska hits and pioneered the sound of reggae. It was Tosh in fact who taught Bob Marley to play guitar. Tosh and Marley co-wrote Wailers classics like "Get Up Stand Up" and "400 Years." After leaving the Wailers in 1974, Tosh released his debut solo album "Legalize It" in 1976 which sold well and became a cultural touchstone for the cannabis legalization movement (a movement I've agreed with for many years and for many reasons). Tosh's solo output continued to make waves with albums like "Equal Rights" and "Bush Doctor" which included a collaboration with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones and introduced Tosh to an even larger audience. I am very fortunate to collaborate once again with photographer Kate Simon on this portrait of Tosh from 1976 around the time "Legalize It" was released and a significant moment in Tosh's career. Read what Kate has to say about working with Tosh. -Shepard Peter Tosh was one of the most politically aware musical artists ever to walk the earth. He was bold and forthright in speaking out against injustice and fearless in standing against oppression. In the public eye he stood tall, radiating an uncompromising force. Those who knew him intimately, however, in unguarded moments experienced his human warmth and humor. He was a great photo subject. I didn't find him intimidating in spite of his height and presence, but rather charismatic with this incredible speaking voice. I loved taking pictures of him doing karate, "reasoning," and smoking herb at Tommy Cowan's yard. I photographed Peter many times over the years both onstage and off, including at the One Love Peace Concert where he was riveting. A lion's heart! -Kate Simon PRINT DETAILS: Peter Tosh: Legalize It. 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Original Illustration based on a photograph by Kate Simon. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 500. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $75.
Summary
Legalize It is a 2024 screen print published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered edition of 500, measuring 18 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper. It portrays reggae pioneer Peter Tosh, co-founder of the Wailers, based on a 1976 photograph by Kate Simon taken around the release of Tosh's debut solo album Legalize It. The illustration honors Tosh's musical legacy and his outspoken stance against injustice, and references the cannabis legalization movement his album helped galvanize. Released at $75 with a Verisart digital certificate of authenticity.
Why It Matters
Legalize It honors Peter Tosh, a foundational reggae figure and co-founder of the Wailers, whom Fairey describes as one of the most politically aware musical artists ever. The portrait, based on Kate Simon's 1976 photograph from around the release of Tosh's debut solo album, captures him at a pivotal career moment and ties him to the cannabis legalization movement the album helped galvanize, a cause Fairey states he has long supported. The print foregrounds Tosh's role in pioneering reggae, teaching Bob Marley guitar, and co-writing Wailers classics like "Get Up Stand Up" and "400 Years," framing him as both a musical innovator and a fearless voice against oppression. For collectors, the piece combines Fairey's accomplished portrait style with a renewed collaboration with photographer Kate Simon, whose firsthand recollection of Tosh adds documentary depth. Timed near what would have been Tosh's 80th birthday, it sits within Fairey's broad catalog of musician portraits that double as tributes to social-justice voices. At $75 in an edition of 500 it is accessible, rewarding buyers who value reggae history, civil-rights messaging, and Fairey's ongoing fusion of music and activism.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to reggae and music-history collectors, fans of Peter Tosh and the Wailers, and followers of Fairey's musician-portrait work. The 1976 Kate Simon photographic base gives the portrait authenticity and period resonance, and the cannabis-legalization and civil-rights themes broaden its appeal beyond music fans. At $75 in an edition of 500 it is an accessible 18 x 24-inch screen print that displays well in a music-and-activism grouping or among Fairey's other portrait works. The triple-signed Kate Simon collaboration and the connection to Tosh's debut album add provenance interest. It is a strong fit for collectors building a reggae or social-justice portrait section.
Historical Context
Legalize It continues Fairey's long line of musician portraits that pair cultural homage with social-justice messaging, here centered on reggae pioneer Peter Tosh and timed near what would have been his 80th birthday. The print revisits Fairey's collaboration with photographer Kate Simon, drawing on her 1976 image of Tosh around the release of his debut solo album. By foregrounding Tosh's co-founding of the Wailers, his teaching of Bob Marley, and his fearless opposition to oppression, the work situates a music icon within Fairey's civil-rights and justice themes. It also references the cannabis legalization movement the album helped catalyze, extending Fairey's catalog of portraits that honor outspoken political voices in music.
FAQ
Who is depicted in this print?
It depicts Peter Tosh, co-founder of the Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Livingston, and a reggae pioneer. Fairey based the illustration on a 1976 photograph by Kate Simon, taken around the time Tosh released his debut solo album, Legalize It.
What is the significance of the title?
Legalize It is the title of Tosh's 1976 debut solo album, which became a cultural touchstone for the cannabis legalization movement. Fairey notes he has supported that movement for many years and chose the moment as a significant point in Tosh's career.
Who signed this print and what is the edition?
It is a screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper, signed by Shepard Fairey, in a numbered edition of 500, measuring 18 x 24 inches. It is an original illustration based on Kate Simon's photograph and includes a Verisart digital certificate of authenticity. Released at $75.
Why is Peter Tosh considered important?
Per the source, Tosh helped pioneer the sound of reggae, taught Bob Marley to play guitar, and co-wrote Wailers classics like "Get Up Stand Up" and "400 Years." Fairey and Kate Simon describe him as a politically aware, fearless voice against injustice and oppression.
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.