Those Shepard Fairey-Designed MCA Billboards? Here's How They Came to Be

By Shelley Leopold Thu., May 31 2012 at 9:52 AM

Art: Shepard Fairey Photo: Glen E. Friedman

Billboards at Sunset and Las Palmas, also at Fairfax south of Santa Monica

See also: Adam Yauch, RIP: A Life in Photos

Shortly after the death of Beastie Boy MCA in early May, a billboard appeared on an industrial stretch of Venice; designed by Brooklyn artist Kaves, it was mostly black and white with a Beastie Boys photo and lyric. (It has since moved to Sunset.) This week another MCA billboard popped up on Fairfax, and then another on Sunset. Designed by Shepard Fairey, the latter two are black and red and feature an iconic Glen E Friedman photo.

Pretty sweet, but what's the deal?

Art: Kaves Photo: copyright Glen E. Friedman

Billboard at Sunset and San Vicente

After the death of MCA (who was born Adam Yauch), a local fan named Jason May was heartbroken. He wrote email tributes and reminisced with a friend about seeing the Beastie Boys at the Cal Expo Amphitheater in 1986, but it wasn't enough.

Having recently purchased a Kaves painting at an Exhibit A Gallery show earlier this year, he was inspired to contact the artist, who agreed to come on board for a tribute. After negotiating with CBS outdoor for some remnant space, May rented the billboards, and Fairey was brought on board. Both artists wanted to use Glen E. Friedman images, and the famed photographer was glad to be a part of the project.

"These are three great artists who were fast, willing and got what it was about with not a lot of questions asked," says May. "The billboards just came together, just happened. I took my own money and just did it."

Tags:

Beastie Boys, Glen E. Friedman, Kaves, RIP MCA Billboards, Shepard Fairey

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Ri067953

Its funny that when a white rapper dies these sort of tributes take place. As a lifelong fan of hip hop I respect the beasties, however, I think that if they were black rappers none of this attention would even come about.

Thndr420

dont be a fool. the BB were one of the originals, you jut make yourself sound ignorant when you put race into this. Not only are you disrespecting an entire generation of music, you are disrespecting every black artist who was able to make it into the industry by the doors opened by the BB. before them, Grand Master Funk was one of the only rap artists that got any air time. And if you want to throw down your money, like MCA fans did, for whoever you want, please, feel free, but dont be disrespectful to the industry, or yourself...

Lisa Trauma Certified Rn

This is beyond words that a total strangers would use their own $ to post a public memorial(s) to a man & a band they never even knew on a personal level & to share this morning so publicly. This outward selflessness has restored my faith in human beings & for the first time in my life I feel connected to a calling larger than myself & a globally unity with the world.