Shepard Fairey, creator of the famous Obama "Hope" campaign poster and also some from the Occupy movement, has recently unveiled two Los Angeles billboards honoring the recently deceased Beastie Boys member, Adam Yauch, aka MCA. 

His contribution, which utilized a Glen E. Friedman photo, is part of a larger L.A.-based project of remembrance and respect for MCA, who passed away on May 4 at age 47 from throat cancer.

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Additional billboards were designed by Brooklyn-based graffiti artist Kaves. One of them quotes The Beastie Boys' "Sure Shot" and shows how MCA, unlike some other rappers, did not promote misogyny through music, and in fact, did the opposite.

I want to say a little something that's long overdue

The disrespect to women has got to be through

To all the mothers and the sisters and the wives and friends

I want to offer my love and respect to the end 

The Huffington Post explained just how the billboards came into existence.

Los Angeles fan Jason May rented out three L.A. billboards to pay homage to his idol, and then enlisted the help of Kaves (whose painting he owned) and Fairey. 

The project took off quickly and easily.

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

Fairey told New York magazine what MCA's music had meant to him. "Hip-hop was the new punk rock, and I wouldn't have embraced that if not for the Beastie Boys," he said. "They opened the doors for a lot of people to be more courageous about blending genres."

May was very pleased with the outcome of his pet project.

"Adam Yauch was someone who deserves a public memorial, so now he has it -- at least in L.A.," he told L.A. Weekly. "I'm proud that I was able to do something in the name of great art and great music."