What happened to Hov & Ye's Maybach 57?
The Otis Maybach is the chopped 2004 Maybach 57 that Jay-Z and Kanye West gleefully tore apart in their 2011 music video for "Otis," the lead single from Watch the Throne. Far from a real act of destruction, the car was a custom build that later went to auction as a piece of contemporary art, fetching $60,000 with proceeds pledged to Save the Children. Here is the full story of one of the most iconic music-video cars of all time.
Why did Jay-Z and Kanye West chop up a Maybach?
One of music's greatest strengths is turning clothing, objects and above all cars into emblems of an artist's personality and worldview, and music videos are where that happens. When Watch the Throne dropped, it topped the charts in 23 countries, and the video for "Otis" became the manifesto of the entire album. In the clip, the two artists tear into a 2004 Maybach 57 in a derelict industrial space and reassemble it as if they had lost the instruction manual, turning a $350,000 luxury sedan into a statement on excess and reinvention. The clip was directed by Spike Jonze, as detailed by Highsnobiety.
Who actually modified the Otis Maybach 57?
Despite how the video looks, the rappers did not weld the car themselves. The build was commissioned to Shelly Ward Industries, a company that specialises in preparing vehicles for movies and Hollywood productions. The result was a deliberately "Frankenstein" Maybach, complete with a chopped roof, exposed roll cage, racing seats and dual rear-facing exhausts, engineered to look wrecked while remaining a fully realised art object.
How much did the Otis Maybach sell for at auction?
In March 2012, the Frankenstein Maybach was put up for auction at Phillips de Pury & Company and marketed as a piece of contemporary art rather than a car with aftermarket modifications. The original sedan retailed for $350,000, and pre-sale estimates placed the value around $150,000, but it ultimately fetched just $60,000. As promised by the artists, the proceeds were fully donated to Save the Children, a detail confirmed by Motor Authority.
Where to find collectible cars and automotive art
The Otis Maybach blurred the line between automobile and artwork, exactly the territory TheArsenale lives in. Browse the TheArsenale cars collection for collectible and coachbuilt machines, or the TheArsenale gallery for automotive art pieces. Mercedes-Maybach fans can explore the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Venuum, the classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe poster, or the Mercedes W16 F1 wall art for a piece of three-pointed-star heritage.
Want a car that doubles as a statement piece like the Otis Maybach? Explore the full TheArsenale cars collection and find your icon.
