Introducing our "Diss Obey" shirt – One of our original designs, a parody of the classic by Shepard Fairey. Over the years we constantly see this hypocrisy where artists and influencers somehow manage to make ideas rooted in tyranny "hip" and we want to shed a little light on this foolishness. Like in the Case of Obey, whose style is based completely off of the Communist iconography of Mao and the Soviet Union, we feel a company capitalizing on an anti-capitalist and often anti-American message is pretty gross and comically hypocritical. Obey or Shrug, that is the question.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ironically, our namesake "Shrug" is an inverse reaction to "Obey", both in the actual verb forms as well our values and uses of symbolism. We wanted to highlight this contrast of the two brands in our parody of the iconic original design that put the brand on the map.
First, we we wanted to establish how we feel about their brand identity, hence the "black-eye", and the use of a graffiti "DISS" over the "OBEY". (triple entendre anyone!?). Then to make it our own we had to throw in a little love of country in there in some of subtleties of the beatdown on the face of the design. The stitching you see on the nose is actually replicated off the line made from the crack in the liberty bell. And finally, the fresh and bloodied branding he has on his cheek is the year 1776 in roman numerals, just as you would find on the tablet being held on the Statue of Liberty.
Curious to learn more about why we "Diss Obey"?
Click the link below to go further down the rabbit hole...
